When in the Hour of Deepest Need
by Silver Dragon Golden Dragon
Summary: Rated for violence. AU. Nine years ago the Earth was invaded- and taken over by a race of cruel birdlike creatures. Even so, now is still the time for the Pharaoh to reawaken..... Please RR!
1. After the Fire

We keep editing this in an insane obsession to get it to all look right.  
  
Disclaimer: WE DO _NOT_ OWN YUGIOH!!! JUST TO GET THAT _PERFECTLY_ CLEAR!!!  
  
--  
  
This is dedicated to someone we will name as "Mr. T," because he practically wrote half of it.  
  
--  
  
Flame us, we dare you. Muhahaha.  
  
--  
  
When in the Hour of Deepest Need  
  
--  
  
Chapter One: After the Fire  
  
--  
  
Yugi Moto picked carefully through the desolate streets of Domino. Like that of most of the poorer humans, his garb seemed to have been cobbled together from whatever could be found so that it would last and be as warm as possible.  
  
Mostly, he wore black, like quite a few of the less easily oppressed, under a somewhat worn blue trenchcoat. He scuffed his leather boots along slowly to make himself appear less of a threat.  
  
Close to his chest he clutched a golden box covered in strange symbols. He knew he had to hide its glint as well as possible. Queliyg themselves didn't see any value in gold, but many Enforcers were human now, as the elven didn't seem to make very good bullies. Rare metals still held importance in the eyes of some humans.  
  
Yugi stiffened as he heard a human voice chuckle behind him. "Uh- oh..."  
  
"Well, well, what have we here?" the deep voice said. Yugi turned slowly to see an extremely ugly man standing there. From the looks of him, he was actually a streetie. His small eyes darted to the box cradled in Yugi's arms. "Whazzat? Hand it here!"  
  
Yugi clutched it closer. "I-I can't!"  
  
The big man took a step closer. "Can't, or won't? C'mon, Shrimp!"  
  
"He won't," said a hard, angry voice from behind the streetie. "He doesn't have to listen to some brainless street dog like you."  
  
The streetie turned, and Yugi caught a glimpse of the boy who'd come to his rescue. "Seto!" The streetie looked back.  
  
"You two know each other?" he asked.  
  
Seto looked annoyed. "What kind of an idiot are you? I come to his rescue, he says my name, of course we know each other!"  
  
The streetie blinked at him. Yugi giggled. "Lis'sen, 'Slim,' I'm a lot bigger and stronger than you. How about you just--"  
  
"How about you just take a lie-down?" With a swift movement that was so powerful it was terrifying, Seto lay the man on his back. He bent down and grabbed him by the shirt-collar. "And maybe later rethink how you want to go about existing," he growled into the streetie's face. "D'you want to live, or d'you want to live free?"  
  
The streetie's eyes widened. "You're one of them rebels, ain't you!"  
  
Seto let out a groan of exasperation. "Why, yes, Mr. Obvious!!" he thundered, throwing the streetie into a nearby waste-disposal unit.  
  
Yugi burst out laughing as Seto wiped his hands disgustedly on his jeans and walked to Yugi's side. The rising sun began to glint through a hole in a nearby apartment building.  
  
Seto grinned, grabbing Yugi and steering him toward the nearest subway entrance. "We'd better get out of the light. Did you find it?"  
  
Yugi produced the golden box so Seto could see it. "Yup! Can you believe it survived the fire?"  
  
Seto's eyes saddened just a little. "I'm really sorry that it had to, Yugi."  
  
Yugi shrugged as they entered the ruined subway. "Grandpa knew the consequences of sheltering you and your brother. He's been doing that sort of thing ever since my father was killed."  
  
The little fifteen year old then jumped subjects completely. "The only thing that was damaged was the string." Yugi made a face. "It was burned to a crisp, I'll have to clean out all that soot..."  
  
"You could replace it with a chain," Seto suggested.  
  
"Maybe," Yugi replied, thinking.  
  
Seto jumped onto the useless tracks, his black sleeveless trenchcoat billowing behind him like a cape. He turned to help Yugi down.  
  
"Just take the box a second," Yugi started to say, but halfway through his sentence he realized that Seto had already grabbed him and set him gently on the concrete.  
  
The much taller boy smirked. "You were saying?"  
  
"Darn you."  
  
They turned at the sound of someone running toward them. "Joey," Seto said as the blonde stopped before them, panting heavily, "What have I told you about learning to be a little _quieter?_"  
  
Joey glared at him. "Darn it, you're always on my case!! Wha' gives you the right to tell me how ta do things, anyway?!?"  
  
Seto grinned evilly. "I'm the one wearing iron-studded wrist- guards!" he said, brandishing them menacingly.  
  
"Guys," Yugi cautioned. This looked like another one-sided brawl brewing. "I'll tell Grandpa you were fighting."  
  
They both relaxed. "As if the Old Man wouldn't be able to tell anyway," Seto said, using the words "Old Man" like a title.  
  
Yugi shook his head. Seto and some of the other younger rebels had taken to calling Solomon Moto that as if in reverence. They all knew it drove him crazy, though.  
  
"Joey, where's Tristan?" Usually the two were never apart. The answer soon came, though, when Tristan came out of nowhere behind Joey.  
  
"Right here!" he said, also panting.  
  
"And being a lot quieter than Joey, too," Seto noted, earning a nasty look from Joey.  
  
"I din't come ta meet you guys so you could diss me, Seto!"  
  
"Then why _did_ you come to meet us?" Seto asked snidely.  
  
Tristan answered. "Mr. Moto wanted us to make sure you were okay."  
  
Yugi yawned. "We're okay. Except that I'm exhausted. I'm not used to being up all night like that!"  
  
Seto grinned, heading in the direction of "home." He stopped, to imply that they should be following him. "You'll get used to it, Yugi. It's not safe in the daylight for you anymore."  
  
--  
  
Meanwhile, over in America, a great American hero and his compatriots were holding a meeting deep in the man-made caves under Texas. Some of his companions were younger than he, some older, but he was the obvious leader there.  
  
An old roadmap had been tacked onto a large table, alterations made where the Queliyg had changed the corresponding landscape. It was on one of these alterations that the gathered men and women concentrated.  
  
"If we play our cards right," the tall, lean man was saying, tucking a strand of long platinum hair behind his ear and tapping the map with a pencil, "We can hit those dirty birds where it hurts and keep food in our people for a month at least, not rationing."  
  
His wife put a hand on his shoulder and leaned against him, smiling. "You may or may not be exaggerating there, Max." Several of the others chuckled.  
  
"Cecilia," he replied, although he was addressing them all, "I'm hoping that I'm _underestimating_ our chances."  
  
"So do we all, Pegasus," Arthur Hawkins said, and a general nod went through the group.  
  
"Well, then," Max replied, leaning back over the map, but he straightened again when he heard someone clearing his throat at the doorway behind him. The assembled company turned to the door, where a muscular, roughly cut blonde man now stood.  
  
"Keith?" Max prompted. Cecilia's hand tightened on his shoulder.  
  
"The Queliyg have sent a message to 'this warrior called Pegasus,'" Keith replied with a wry smile. "They're giving you one last chance to turn yourself in."  
  
Max laughed. "Or they'll do what, shake their talons at me?" Cecilia rolled her eyes. "You tell those pasty featherbrains to go to Hades' frying pan, Keith." Keith nodded, tossed off a half-serious salute, and left.  
  
"You are aware that they'll probably be sending you another 'last chance' next month," Arthur said, his mustache quirked slightly up to the side in a smile.  
  
"Yeah," Max said in a deadpan, nodding. "I've got a subscription."  
  
They stared at him a moment, their memory for such jokes faded by nine years of occupation. Then Arthur began to chuckle, and the rest burst out laughing soon after.  
  
--  
  
Maximillion Pegasus had been having strange dreams since the night before the Queliyg came, and they happened with such clarity and accuracy that he'd come to view them as premonitions.  
  
Sometimes the dreams were about the ghostly avians themselves, the clearest being the first such dream he'd ever had.  
  
Other dreams were about strange creatures and semi-human warriors which battled in the darkness, battles he often found himself absentmindedly sketching in his rare free time.  
  
This dream, however, wasn't about the Queliyg or about creatures he'd never seen before. It seemed to be following a small boy, who Max somehow realized was older than he looked, a boy with with black and crimson hair and golden bangs. He had huge purple eyes and wore mostly black.  
  
The sun was setting on grimy streets of a Japanese city, or at least it looked Japanese to Max, who had traveled the world with his father a few years before the invasion. The boy slid deftly through the wreckage of old buildings, a golden box hidden in his backpack. Max wasn't sure why, but that seemed important to him.  
  
He was looking through the boy's eyes now. As he passed an alley, there was a crash and the sound of leather hitting flesh, as well as grunts of pain. The boy jumped and stared down the alley, trying to see what exactly was happening in the shadows.  
  
Soon the shapes resolved themselves. An Enforcer, young for one but still huge, especially compared to the boy with multi-colored hair, was standing over a blonde elf, holding a blood encrusted leather belt. The elf was muscular, but it looked like he'd been letting the Enforcer beat him.  
  
_The Enforcer owns him!_ Max realized with some horror. The trenchcoated boy seemed to realize it at the same time, and darted into the alley and positioned himself between the Enforcer and elf.  
  
"STOP!" he yelled, but the Enforcer laughed at his soft voice.  
  
"This elf _belongs_ to me, twerp!" the Enforcer said. "Why should I stop?"  
  
"I know he belongs to you," the boy replied, "And that makes it even worse, you-- coward!"  
  
The young Enforcer's eyes darkened with a deadlier malice. "Nobody calls Ushio a coward, Shrimp!" He raised the belt to strike the smaller boy.  
  
Apparently the little one didn't care if he got beaten to a pulp. Either that or he was just a little too angry to think straight. He put his hands on his hips. "Well, if nobody calls Ushio a coward, then Ushio will never discover the truth, will he?"  
  
_WHACK!!_ Ushio struck the boy across the face with a length of the belt. Max would've winced if he'd had a body in this dream.  
  
Ushio apparently had a good arm. The boy went flying. Anger showing in his face, the elf drew himself up behind Ushio.  
  
"That's enough, _Master,_" he said, picking up a length of pipe and holding it like a sword. Holding it high above his head, he charged Ushio and struck him to the ground with a blow on the neck.  
  
Ushio seemed to have neck muscles of legendary proportions. He rolled to his feet and caught the elf's pipe with the belt. "Oh, so Kel isn't happy anymore, eh?" He jerked the pipe from Kel's hands. "Maybe you need another lesson, elf!"  
  
Grabbing the pipe as it came toward him, Ushio swung it at Kel one- handed, striking the elf in the arm as Kel brought it up to protect his face. Ushio then struck Kel in the chest, barely missing his solar plexus, and the elf's knees gave way.  
  
The little teenager leaped onto Ushio's arm and ripped away a length of sleeve from the Enforcer's uniform. Ushio actually shrieked as the boy's teeth sank into his flesh.  
  
If he could have, Max would've cheered. _Go, whoever you are!_  
  
Ushio grabbed the boy by the throat, prying him loose. With a powerful shove, he sent Kel up against the wall with a loud crack, then tossed the wild-haired boy into his lap.  
  
Kel's eyes were cloudy now, and his breathing shallow, the blonde head sank onto his chest. Ushio laughed.  
  
"He was worthless anyway," he said, swaggering away. "Looks like I've won, kid."  
  
The boy scrambled off Kel's lap, then took him by the shoulders and began shaking him gently. "Kel? Kel!"  
  
Kel's eyes opened, just a crack. He murmured something.  
  
"Why did I try to help you? I had to! I'm just-- sorry..." he began to sob as Kel lapsed into unconciousness. "Kel!"  
  
The golden box began to glow through the fabric of the backpack, but the boy didn't seem to notice. Max, who was once again viewing the scene as a seperate entity, suddenly felt something yank on him. "PEGASUS!" a deep voice shouted.  
  
"Ack!!" Max yelped, sitting up in bed. His wife stirred.  
  
"Wha?" Cecilia asked, sitting up beside him. "Dreaming again?"  
  
Max nodded. "But this one was different," he said as she began probing for the knots in his shoulders. He told her about the strange boy, and Kel and Ushio.  
  
Cecilia wrapped her slender arms around his shoulders comfortingly. They sat like that a few moments. "What do you think it means?" she asked finally. She knew all these dreams meant things to him.  
  
"I'm not sure, yet." He brought his hand up to caress a few golden locks. "Maybe it doesn't _mean_ anything. Maybe I was 'only' seeing something that was just happening." Their eyes met. "I do know one thing, Ceci," he said. "Something is _going_ to happen, and it's going to change everything."  
  
--  
  
Yugi struggled with Kel's heavy body, dragging him down to the old subway station. Tears still ran down his cheeks. Kel was dying, and he knew it.  
  
He didn't know what to do, but keep the streeties and animal scavengers away from the elf's body. And maybe make him as comfortable as possible.  
  
Down in the subways, he managed to find what used to be some sort of office. Laying Kel down on the floor, he then started to put his backpack under Kel's head.  
  
"Wait," he realized, and took the golden box out. "This wouldn't exactly be comfortable to lay one's head on, I suppose." He finished trying to get Kel settled, then sat down in a hard chair and opened the box.  
  
He'd taken Seto's advice and looped a chain through the largest piece. Now, all he had to do was fit the puzzle within the box together.  
  
He laughed at himself, toying around with the pieces. _Yeah, right._  
  
--  
  
Two pieces came together. A thought formed. Not much of one, but it was there. What?  
  
A third piece joined the other two. _ How interesting. Didn't I used to have a body? No, no, kid, that piece goes there, and that one goes there._ Calm. _That's right._  
  
_Wait a second... What is this place? Who is this person? Why can't I remember anything but which piece goes where?_  
  
The pieces were coming together faster now, forming a pyramid... _I'm as much a puzzle to myself as the Millenium Puzzle itself is to this boy!_ came the thought, a little panicked.  
  
"One more piece, one more piece..." the boy muttered, entranced. He searched around for it. "Oh, no."  
  
_You left it under somebody's head, kid._ The boy, as if hearing him, looked over at the prone elf on the floor. _Hey, I know ONE thing, anyway. That's an elf. Yay._  
  
The boy gently moved the elf's head. There was blood in his blonde hair. Carefully, the boy hunted through the bag under the elf's head.  
  
Soon, he found the piece. He stared at it for a couple seconds, gently replacing the elf's head.  
  
_That's not a real eye, kid, trying to have a staring contest with it is kind of pointless._  
  
Once again, as if hearing him, the boy stood, and walked back to the Puzzle. As if a little afraid, he slowly eased the last piece in.  
  
_Finally!!_ the thought came, and suddenly his essence was pulled toward him, and like with the first pieces, two became one.  
  
_His name is Yugi..._  
  
--  
  
Yugi pulled the chain over his head, only he was no longer Yugi. With sharp violet eyes he looked upon Kel, and Kel, stirring for the first time in several hours, looked back.  
  
"What happened to the other you?" the elf croaked.  
  
"Don't worry about it," "Yugi" replied, kneeling beside him. He began murmuring in a chanting tone, and Kel's eyes widened as he recognized the words. "Sleep," the strong voice commanded, and once again darkness enveloped him, only it was a different, less dangerous darkness than before.  
  
"Yugi" stood. "Now to find a certain Enforcer," he growled, leaving Kel hidden in the office. "And teach him a lesson he won't soon forget..."  
  
--  
  
Ushio strolled down the dark streets, humming to himself. He loved night patrol. Little did he know, that was about to change...  
  
"Uuushioohhhhhh..." a deep, powerful voice intoned mockingly, beckoning him.  
  
"Wha? Who's there?" Ushio stared around, suddenly nervous.  
  
"Over here, Ushio," the voice called from a dark alley, hypnotic and dangerous.  
  
Ushio approached the alley cautiously, then started in surprise when he saw who was calling him. "Hey! You-- You're that twerp from before! You owe me an elven slave, punk!"  
  
The dark figure smirked. "I owe you nothing... unless, perhaps, you'd like to play a little game?"  
  
Ushio's brow furrowed in confusion. "A _game?_ What are you? Some kinda nutcase?"  
  
One brow raised over the sharp violet eyes. "Are you afraid?"  
  
"_Afraid?!?_" Ushio remembered the jabs from before. "I told you, I'm no coward!"  
  
An almost evil smile spread across the other's features. "Then let the game... begin."  
  
At these words, darkness suddenly enveloped them both. Ushio yelped in shock and fear. "What the-- what's goin' on?!"  
  
"The rules are as follows," the mocking voice called from somewhere above Ushio. "And they are very simple: Roll the dice, and whomever ends with the highest total wins. You should understand that well enough." Something small dropped into Ushio's hands.  
  
"I can't even _see_ the dice!" Ushio protested. "How will I know what I got?"  
  
He was answered with a laugh. "The Summoned Skull will tell you."  
  
"The Summoned _what?!_" Something growled-- or purred?-- in the darkness.  
  
"I roll first," the voice said. Something clinked.  
  
"_Three and four,_" a gravelly voice snarled.  
  
Ushio's hands shook. "Forget this!!" he squeaked.  
  
"_ROLL!_" Summoned Skull thundered. The dice fumbled out of Ushio's hands and struck the floor. "_Snake eyesss...._" Was it just Ushio's imagination, or had he just heard something licking its lips? If it _had_ lips...  
  
The master, Ushio was sure he was the creature's master, laughed softly. "Care for another round, before he gets hungry?"  
  
"_Too late, Pharaoh,_" the Summoned Skull hissed almost pleasantly. "Pharaoh" laughed.  
  
"Just indulge us, would you?" he asked, mirth flavoring his tone. He got an affirmative purr. "My turn again."  
  
Clink, clink. Ushio could feel sweat running down his face. "_Six and one._"  
  
The sound of "Pharaoh's" voice had come from right in front of him! Maybe he could get out of this crazy mess! Wild hope fueling him, Ushio rushed forward, found a handful of cloth, and drew back his fist to strike.  
  
"You have broken the rules!" "Pharaoh's" voice intoned angrily, like a furious god.  
  
A heavy-- paw?-- smashed into Ushio's chest and separated him from the master. "_RULEBREAKER!!_" Summoned Skull shrieked.  
  
A light flooded their game site, a light that emanated from an eye symbol on "Pharaoh's" forehead. Ushio screamed as he saw what the Summoned Skull was.  
  
"Pharaoh's" expression was dark with his fury. "Sic' 'im," he said to the demon.  
  
Summoned Skull seemed to grin. With a howl of hunger and rage, he stalked lithely toward Ushio.  
  
"No, WAIT!" Ushio screamed, putting his hands up futilely. The alley reappeared, but Summoned Skull did not vanish. His wings spread, casting their shadow onto the Enforcer.  
  
The dark figure smiled, turning his back to leave. "You should not have broken the rules," he said over his shoulder. "Summoned Skull has a very authoritarian streak when his belly's empty."  
  
A high, terrified scream lifted into the night sky.  
  
--  
  
Yugi jerked awake. Kel was staring at him, the cloud gone from his eyes, his wounds healed, although the blood still stained his clothing and hair.  
  
"Kel?" Yugi asked. "What happened? I was afraid you were going to-- to--"  
  
"Die?" Kel looked thoughtful. "I was hoping you might know what happened." He sat up wearily. "You don't remember?"  
  
"Remember what?" Yugi asked, confused. The elf smiled.  
  
"Never mind." He heaved himself to his feet, then stared at Yugi. "I owe you so much, and yet I still don't know your name."  
  
"Oh! My name's Yugi Moto!" Yugi jumped to his feet. "And you don't owe me anything, Kel, I was doing what I had to do! It was right!"  
  
Kel shrugged, then paused, as if his shoulder was sore. "I see. Are you trying to get rid of me?"  
  
Yugi blinked. "I beg your pardon?" He thought about it a second. "Well, no. I don't suppose it'd be very safe for you aboveground anymore."  
  
Now the elf looked confused. "We are... underground?"  
  
Yugi nodded. "You don't know all that much about Earth, do you."  
  
Kel shook his head. "A lot of us have stayed up in orbit the past nine of your years, Yugi. I was only brought down about a year ago, and being Ushio's slave means you don't get out much."  
  
"Well," Yugi said, grabbing his hand and leading him out of the office. After a moment, he went back and retrieved his backpack, which was now squished from having Kel's head on it.  
  
"Well," he restarted, "Before the Queliyg, humans used tunnels as modes of mass transit under the city."  
  
"Wouldn't it be crowded?" Kel asked innocently.  
  
Yugi laughed as he realized the elf misunderstood. "I hear it was, but probably not in the way you're thinking, Kel." He pointed at the track before hopping down. "They used big metal boxes that glided along that track there. These 'trains' went very fast, although hardly as fast as a Queliyg's spaceship."  
  
"Trains," Kel said, sounding out the unfamiliar word.  
  
"I'll show you the wreck of one later," Yugi said. "C'mon. For some reason I'm hungry!"  
  
"Where are we going?"  
  
Yugi grinned. "I'm taking you to Sub-Town, Kel."  
  
"What is Sub-Town?"  
  
"Right now, it's the home of the local Japanese Resistance."  
  
--  
  
End Chapter One. So, what'd you think? ^_^ 


	2. The chapter which MrT couldn't decide wh...

Disclaimer: Once again, we don't own Yugioh. If we did, this is quite possibly what it'd look like.  
  
--  
  
This is still dedicated to Mr. T, who names all of the chapters, just so you know. (He chose the title of the story, too, so it's not THAT bad...)  
  
--  
  
Chapter Two: [Heavy Metal] Raiders  
  
or Raiders of the Lost Birdseed  
  
or Hades' Frying Pan Is Waiting  
  
or  
  
Don't Get Carried Away  
  
--  
  
Dallas, Texas; Queliyg food production plant  
  
Maximillion Pegasus peered down at the alien structure through a pair of night-vision goggles they had procured off the black market.  
  
"There they all are, nice and quiet, just as scheduled," he said to Cecilia with a grin. She smiled and pecked him on the cheek.  
  
"Winged Horse to Grey Hawk," she murmured into a two-way radio. "Prepare to move into position. Over."  
  
Max giggled softly. "I never get over how silly that feels."  
  
"Just keep your eye on the birds," she whispered. She turned to the ten somewhat grungy looking men crouched behind them. "Are you all ready with that canister?"  
  
The foremost of them nodded. "We just let a trickle off all the way to the primary power source and light it up once everybody's out," he recited, eager to go.  
  
Cecilia tapped Max's shoulder. "Let's go, honey." Max handed her the goggles and gripped the steering wheel, carefully edging the decommissioned M113 just to the edge of visibility.  
  
"Good thing you don't need a driver's license to drive anymore..." he quipped under his breath. Cecilia laughed. "Get ready," he told the man standing behind him, who was peering out the hatch in the roof. "Five, four, three, two..."  
  
The night sky lit up as a rocket tore away from its launcher atop the rigged-up army transport and landed right on the "doorstep" of the production plant.  
  
The quiet night went utterly crazy, as maybe thirty people flooded out of the darkness, wielding rifles, handguns, and more than a few makeshift rocket launchers, not to mention at least one "confiscated" Queliyg plasma blaster.  
  
The men in the M113 piled out the back, and the team unloaded the canister from the side.  
  
Max jumped out. "Keep the seat warm," he told his wife, who rolled her eyes.  
  
"You're too overprotective!" she yelled at his back. The man riding shotgun laughed. "Although I appreciate the sentiment," she admitted to him.  
  
Max ran out into the middle of the fray to "direct" the chaos, something he'd gotten very good at the past couple of years.  
  
With a quick look around, he noted with pleasure and relief the abscence of warsuiters and cannoneers. For some reason the Queliyg had been downscaling their local military, and Max was very glad for that.  
  
"Unit Gamma!" he called. Five or six people seemed to pause for directions without really stopping. "Help the jailbirds fly the coop! All of them! Go!"  
  
Those people began to migrate toward the building where slave workers would be held.  
  
One alien, unfortunately, seemed to hear his shout. Angrily, she began to wade through the fighters, a large table held up as a shield.  
  
"I'm guessing I've found the _leader_ of this coup!" she screeched, furious.  
  
He noticed her, and took a flourishing little bow. "Bonjour, Madamoiselle!"  
  
Rage gleamed in her black eyes. Her pale yellow feathers began to ruffle. "Do not mock me, human!" she cawed, looking like she was ready to peck his eyes out.  
  
"Why not?" he demanded, producing a rare small Queliyg blaster from under his coat. "You invade our planet, take our freedom, kill our families, and we don't even have the right to poke a little fun at you? Here's mocking for you, Turkey Feathers!" He took aim and fired at her.  
  
With a scream, she dodged to the side, dropping her table. Luckily for her, the white-hot plasma only caught the edge of a silk sleeve. Unfortunately for her, the cloth caught fire. Queliyg "hands" weren't very good for beating out flames, being shaped as they were for catching small creatures, like an eagle's talons. She practically howled and ripped off the burning fabric, shearing it away.  
  
Max pulled a small knife from his boot and went for her bare, muscular arm. Briefly, Max wished that he knew the Japanese art of bo shuriken, or blade-throwing. He didn't really want to get too close to the shearing talons.  
  
Still...  
  
Max leaped at her, striking as fast as possible. Her avian scream rent the sounds of battle. Blackish blood spilled to the ground.  
  
_If Queliyg had teeth, she'd definitely be grinding them together right now,_ Max thought with some pride as she gripped her arm.  
  
Hissing at him because she knew going after him wouldn't do any good, the Queliyg ran to shelter and hit an alarm switch. Max cursed.  
  
"All units! Alert!" Once again there was a moving pause. "Hunters activated! I repeat, seekers on their way!"  
  
The action seemed to speed up. Several large trucks were backed up to the food storage units.  
  
Max went to check on Unit Gamma. He was a little annoyed to note that one member was only setting free the _human_ slaves. He caught up to the man.  
  
"All the jailbirds, Smith!" he reprimanded, pointing out the destitute elves.  
  
"But they're not human, sir!" Max backhanded him. Shock registered in Smith's eyes.  
  
"They're more human than you," Max said disgustedly. Human enough to save his wife's life shortly after the invasion.  
  
There was an explosion. Max cursed again. "Forgot about those _seekers!_" He opened one of the cages holding elves, and they streamed out.  
  
Except one. This one stared at him with huge eyes, clutching her leg, obviously unable to walk on it. He hurried in and lifted her.  
  
"Get her to safety," he ordered Smith, forcing him to take her in his arms.  
  
"But--"  
  
"_GO!_" Smith went.  
  
Max checked to make sure the rest of Unit Gamma was doing their job, then ran back out into the fray. It was chaos, real chaos now, no longer his.  
  
A hunter-seeker crashed to the earth beside him, colliding with the slave compound's sturdy wall, felled by one of his people's rockets.  
  
He took a quick hunter-count, followed up by a head-count just to be sure. He considered a wheel-count, but it was easy to see only one vehicle had been destroyed by concentrated fire, a modified SUV.  
  
Six hunter-seekers hovered over the scene, three concentrating on the M113 (which was effectively unaffected) and the other three swarming like giant beach-balls of doom around the dump trucks, trying to discourage people from loading food, and doing fairly well.  
  
He pulled a radio from his coat. "Winged Horse to Guardian Angel," he said, and Cecilia responded with a rasberry. "You need to take out the HS swarm around you with direct manuevering."  
  
"Copy," she said, and a second later the seekers were scattered debris.  
  
Max ran to the dump trucks and began firing at the hunter-seekers with his plasma weapon. He noted that the one other person with a plasma blaster was doing the same.  
  
One of the worthwhile things about plasma weapons was that hunter- seekers weren't capable of recognizing plasma as enemy fire. Their programming was too narrow.  
  
One seeker crashed to the ground, thanks to some concentrated fire, but one of the remaining two suddenly swiveled all of its attention on _him._  
  
Max was running out of English curses, so he tried a few in Japanese. It didn't make him feel any better. He ran for the M113, the hunter following, spraying the ground behind him with anti-personnel fire.  
  
"At least I'm drawing it away," he grumbled to himself.  
  
A rocket freed itself from the launcher atop the M113 and tore into the hunter-seeker explosively. The M113 pulled forward slightly and Cecilia looked out the side at him. "Get in!" she yelled.  
  
Max jumped into the passenger side and kissed his wife's cheek. "See what you can do about that last one," he told her.  
  
Cecilia drove forward quickly and a little recklessly. The rocket- man riding shotgun cursed and braced himself against the acceleration. Max grabbed the dashboard. He noticed the Queliyg from before standing off in the sidelines. She looked a little ill.  
  
_I wonder if it's from being hurt or from watching this oversized armor plated egg-carton,_ he thought, feeling a little ill himself.  
  
"Fire at that seeker!" Cecilia shouted to the rocketeer. He complied.  
  
"And the rockets' red glare, bombs bursting in air..." Max sang. Cecilia glanced at him, an amused little smile crossing her features.  
  
The canister team began to move across to the building that housed the power source. The humans weren't sure exactly how the crystals the Queliyg used for power _worked,_ but they _did_ know that the pulsing white gems exploded nicely.  
  
"All teams, how are you coming along with birdseed retrieval?"  
  
A flood of positive responses chattered over the radio.  
  
"Good. Prepare to fly." That primed them for the evacuation code word, "sparks."  
  
They waited nervously, hoping the next few moments would be clear of warsuiters or cannoneers.  
  
"Seed cart Alpha loaded." Max wiped a little sweat from his brow, then the wait resumed.  
  
"Seed cart Delta ready to fly!" Seconds.  
  
"Seed cart Beta itching to go!" Cecilia glanced at Max.  
  
"Interesting way to put it," he commented. "Status, Cart Gamma!"  
  
There was a pause that seemed much longer than it really was. "We're ready, Winged Horse."  
  
"Grey Hawk?"  
  
Arthur chuckled over the radio. "All units out."  
  
"Team Pyro, are you ready?"  
  
Some rather interesting sounding static crackled for a few seconds. "Yeah, we are, Winged Horse, just give the word!"  
  
Max grinned and switched to all units. "Okay then! SPARKS! Repeat, SPARKS!"  
  
Engines roared and revved as the task force took off. Mere seconds later Team Pyro piled into the back of the M113.  
  
Cecilia put it into high gear and all the men yelled as the M113 roared off into the night.  
  
--  
  
Liyeny, the wounded Queliyg, realized suddenly what was happening when she noted a black slickness dotted sporadically over the ground.  
  
She swore in her native tongue. "Everyone! OUT!" she screamed, following it with a shrill warning cry for good measure.  
  
Like so many songbirds taking chaotic flight, the Queliyg ran ostrich- like away from the food production plant. Liyeny was just far enough away when the power crystals exploded. She fell to the ground.  
  
"That human," she murmured angrily, high voice hissing in her rage, "Will pay for this!"  
  
--  
  
Max jumped out of the M113, then had to grab it to keep from dizzily falling over. There was much cheering and slapping of backs.  
  
"What's wrong, Pegasus?" Arthur asked him. "Instead of looking deliriously happy, you just look-- well, delirious!"  
  
"I'm recovering from Ceci's driving," Max replied in an undertone.  
  
"I heard that!" said woman retorted, hugging him from behind.  
  
Smith wandered over, the young elven woman still in his arms. She was babbling at him, tears running down her cheeks and a joyous grin on her lips.  
  
"She keeps saying the same word over and over," Smith said, "And I can't understand it because it's elvish. What's she trying to tell me, sir?"  
  
Max grinned. "She's thanking you, Smith. Over and over again, she's trying to get you to know how grateful she is."  
  
Smith stared at the elf. "Could you tell her, I don't deserve it?"  
  
Max spoke to her. She replied. "I'd say she thinks you deserve it," Max said.  
  
Cecilia glanced at the human and elf. "Why, what did she say?"  
  
Max shook his head at his wife. "I'll tell you later."  
  
Keith chose this moment to walk over and congratulate Max on his plan. Max could see Cecilia narrow her eyes at the man in his peripheral vision.  
  
"I don't trust him," she hissed in Max's ear once Keith had remerged with the crowd. "Something about him just seems false."  
  
Max shrugged. "Well, I don't see any tailfeathers in his mouth, if that's what you mean."  
  
Cecilia shook her head. "I'm not so sure..."  
  
--  
  
Domino, Japan; Sub-Town  
  
Kel stared around Sub-Town like a little child who'd never been to the fair. Yugi grinned as he saw the awe in the elf's eyes.  
  
"Yugi?" came the voice of Solomon Moto. Yugi and Kel turned to see him shuffling over, flanked by Joey, Tristan, and Seto. "Who is this?"  
  
Seto blinked as he gave Kel a once-over. "Where did you find an elf?"  
  
Téa came out of a modified subway car. "What's this about elves?" she asked.  
  
"This is Kel," Yugi said with a smile, and Kel suddenly looked a little nervous to be around so many humans.  
  
"Welcome, Kel," Solomon said kindly. "How did you come into aquaintance with my grandson here?"  
  
"I was a slave," Kel managed quietly. "Yugi saved me from my human master."  
  
Téa's eyes widened. "You were a slave? How awful!"  
  
Seto crossed his arms. "All elves are slaves, or at least born that way." He contemplated a bare forearm. "You met and freed him all in one night?" he asked Yugi.  
  
Yugi shrugged a little tensely. "I'm not completely sure how everything went," he admitted.  
  
A pair of little arms encircled Seto's waist from behind. "Hello, Big Brother!" Mokuba said cheerfully, but he hung back just a little when he saw Kel.  
  
Yugi studied all of their faces. _Yes,_ he thought, _it'll take getting used to, but I think they're off to a good start._  
  
--  
  
A few days later, as several of the "families" were getting low on food (except for seafood, as they had their own resident fisherman), Seto organized a little party to go to the surface for food.  
  
Joey was going, of course, and Tristan was going because Joey was going. Téa was going, as well as Yugi and Kel (who refused to let Yugi go anywhere by himself excepting the facilities), and also Seto himself.  
  
When they exited the subway the little group branched out into the city.  
  
Téa walked by herself through the desolate streets, only too aware she was a "target."  
  
"Why do I keep insisting to be a part of these things?" she complained to the air. She detoured into a little by-street, on her way to the semi-legal market near the center of the former industrial district.  
  
Someone whistled wolfishly from a doorway. "Hey, pretty girl, where ya goin' at this hour?"  
  
She sped up, but tried very hard to look like she hadn't. A rough, strong hand gripped her arm. She turned to stare into the face of an Enforcer, a man obviously older than she, who grinned down at her dangerously.  
  
"Come on, sweet baby, I'm a guy in uniform," he said, apparantly thinking he was making a funny joke.  
  
"Sorry, but I'm probably a little young for you, sir--" Téa tried to wrench free of his viselike grip. When he didn't let go, _bang!_ He hunched over in pain, knees together.  
  
"Why you little--" he growled, voice cracking, and he fell into a stream of curses which may or may not have been directed at her. He managed to straighten and struck her across the face, causing her to stumble backwards.  
  
"Téa!" came Yugi's voice, and the little teenager bounced out of the darkness and leapt onto her attacker. "You leave her alone!"  
  
The Enforcer snarled and tried to shake Yugi off. Téa ran to her friend's aid and sank her teeth into the Enforcer's arm.  
  
"HEY!" the Enforcer yowled, throwing them both off at once. Téa fell against a closed door and pain flooded her head as it cracked against the hard surface. Sinking to the ground, she whimpered and clutched her head. Yugi thudded to the ground.  
  
The Enforcer began to advance on Téa, apparently savoring every moment.  
  
There was a flash behind him, where Yugi had landed. "Turn, and face me, coward!" a deep tenor commanded.  
  
"Wha?" The Enforcer turned to stare at "Yugi," whose face held a quiet, calm anger. "You want some more, punk?"  
  
"We _could_ settle this with violence," "Yugi" said in a thoughtful way. "Of course, the fact that you always leap to fists says something about your intelligence."  
  
"_What?_ You callin' me stupid, wise guy?"  
  
"Yugi" feigned exasperation. "Was I somehow unclear enough to confuse you? I'm sorry. Perhaps you'd like to prove your intelligence?"  
  
The Enforcer gave him a dark look. "How?"  
  
Darkness surrounded them, "Yugi," the Enforcer, and even Téa, who wasn't really aware of what was going on anyway. "Well, if you can win this little game, then you can do what you will with both of us. If I win, however," and as he spoke something stirred in the darkness, "I will decide your fate."  
  
"But I can do whatever I want with both of you anyway!" the Enforcer protested.  
  
"Yugi" smirked. "Just try it," he replied. Something _slithered._ "Yugi" produced two sticks out of nowhere. They were long and smooth, one green and the other red, meant for bringing down small prey. "Since you seem so proud of your strength, we will use these." He tossed the green one to the Enforcer. "They are throw sticks. Whichever of us can throw the farthest wins. Simple enough, I'd say."  
  
The Enforcer laughed. "Is that all? You ready then, twerp?" "Yugi" nodded. The Enforcer hurled with all his might. "Hahahaha! Beat that!"  
  
"Yugi" shrugged. "If you really want me to," he said, sending the stick gliding through the air with skill and precision. The red stick thudded to the ground about two yards past the green one.  
  
"What? You musta' cheated somehow!" The Enforcer charged at "Yugi," who simply stood there, unafraid.  
  
"I don't cheat," "Yugi" said. "Curse of Dragon!"  
  
Something golden, long, and serpentine slipped from the darkness and encircled the Enforcer with coils thicker than his very chest.  
  
"Yugi" climbed up the side of the dragon, who reared its head to look over his shoulder at the Enforcer. The man realized with some startlement that Curse of Dragon was eyeless. "Yugi" turned and patted it in a frighteningly affectionate manner. "He's very limber for such a great old dragon, isn't he?"  
  
"Wha--wha--?"  
  
"Yugi"and the dragon gave each other what seemed to be amused glances. "Do with this one what you will," "Yugi" said, and dropped into the darkness.  
  
--  
  
Kel entered the scene to find the person who wasn't Yugi bent over Téa, gently asking her if she was sure she didn't have a concussion.  
  
He approached, and the dark figure looked up, then smiled to see him.  
  
"Who are you, really?" Kel asked. "You aren't Yugi."  
  
The other shrugged. "I'm not quite sure anymore, really. Think of me as Yami. Call me Yugi."  
  
Kel noticed the Enforcer, twitching on the ground, staring straight up, making little noises in his throat. "What did you do to him?"  
  
"Nothing he didn't deserve," Yami replied darkly. "Take Téa back to Sub-Town."  
  
"Where are you going?" Kel asked, gathering the girl in his arms.  
  
Yami shrugged. "To get better aquainted with the modern world, I suppose." He began to walk away.  
  
"Don't get lost!" Kel warned the retreating figure. Yami didn't answer.  
  
--  
  
Cecilia watched Max sketching one of his crazy dreams.  
  
"You never did get around to telling me what that elven girl said when Smith said he didn't deserve her thanks," she said in an offhand way.  
  
"Hmmm?" Max looked up a little dreamily. "Oh. Well, Ceci, it's a little akward in direct translations, but she basically said that Smith had pushed aside his own biases to save her, and that was something very hard to do. For her, it made him just as much a hero as saving her life did, maybe more."  
  
"You're not telling everything," Cecilia prodded after a few seconds of silence.  
  
Max grinned. "Were you aware that the elves believe that the saving of a life creates a bond far greater than friendship?"  
  
Cecilia shook her head. "What's she going to do, follow him around for the rest of his life?"  
  
Max actually giggled and started to sketch again. "Quite probably."  
  
--  
  
End Chapter Two. Man, this one was an ordeal!! 


	3. Every Rose has its Thorns

Disclaimer: We still don't Yugioh. If we did, we'd be looking at all of your stories and stealing your best ideas. (Hey, it's happened to Mr. T before!)  
  
--  
  
Hopefully this chapter will be easier to write than the last one. It's still dedicated to Mr. T, and if we added anything he didn't like he'd sic the Summoned Skull and Curse of Dragon on us, because that was his idea. Mr. T: Please stop dedicating it to me. I'm sure they know already.  
  
--  
  
Chapter Three: Every Rose has its Thorns  
  
--  
  
Japan; Queliyg shipping docks  
  
A lone human teenager stood on the dock. The wind blew, ruffling his snow-white hair and blowing his cloak open to reveal a glint of gold.  
  
"Soon, Father," he murmured to himself in English, "I and my other will free the Earth, and then you too will be free."  
  
This wanderer was one Ryou Bakura, black market trader, traveling under direction of a dark and powerful being, someone who had told Bakura to simply call him "Kekatsu" for the time being.  
  
_Time to get yourself settled, Bakura,_ Kekatsu muttered in his ear.  
  
--  
  
Texas; the Oil Caves (Rebel base)  
  
Keith stalked through the grimy corridors, on his way to the quarters of two very important people. Max was on a mission and had left Cecilia behind because she hadn't been feeling well. This was perfect for Keith.  
  
He stopped outside the covered doorway. From the shadows he saw that Cecilia lay on the bed, probably asleep. Even better. Silently he drew the heavy woolen curtain aside and entered the room.  
  
He paused when he saw the rebel leader's wife, peacefully curled up atop the covers, looking even more like an angel in her slumber.  
  
_Sorry, lady, but the Queliyg can offer more than your husband can if I bring you to them._ He tied her hands and feet gently and covered her mouth, then wrapped her up in the blanket.  
  
Carefully lifting her, Keith wondered at how light she seemed, and how she had yet to wake.  
  
Slinking back through the corridors, "package" in his arms, Keith went to the vehicle hangars and found his jeep. He laid her in the back seat, then covered her with a tarp.  
  
_Next phase,_ he thought nervously. This would be the hard part. He walked over to the girl in charge of "traffic flow," as she jokingly called it.  
  
"Hey, Kamilah," he called. The red-head looked up. "Sorry to bother ya, sweetheart, but I need a ride up?"  
  
Kamilah grinned. "All right then, Brown Nose. Get in your jeep." She skipped lightly over to her transport truck and hopped lithely in, like a cat.  
  
Keith carefully drove up into the empty back of the transport. And dwelled for a minute on what a shame it was that they took the precaution of hiding the entrances from him, just in case he was "captured." The doors closed behind him by remote. Boxed in. Keith hated it.  
  
The truck began to move and Cecilia stirred under the tarp. Keith stared back and felt a little panic, but then she stilled.  
  
After what seemed like forever, the truck stopped. Keith knew they were now on an old highway and tracing Kamilah back would be impossible. The Queliyg had shot down the old spy satellite network and it had never occured to them to build one of their own. They didn't see how anything that was a mammal's idea could possibly be useful.  
  
"Okay," Kamilah called as the doors opened and a ramp lowered for him to back down on, "take care of yourself, blondie."  
  
"Be seein' ya," Keith replied, driving off.  
  
--  
  
Even before Max realized that his wife was missing, he could feel that something was amiss. Soon it was evident she was nowhere to be found.  
  
He went to Kamilah. "Has anyone come or gone other than my group since this morning?"  
  
Kamilah shrugged. "No one other than Keith. Is something wrong?"  
  
Max felt as though five pounds of ice had dropped into his stomach. _Cecilia was right about him,_ he thought in horror. _And I never listened. This is my fault!_  
  
"No," he told the teenager, who had been staring at him worriedly. He needed to get out from under that blue gaze. "No, nothing is wrong, Kamilah."  
  
--  
  
"Keith is a traitor, Arthur," Max told the older man wearily. Arthur stared at him.  
  
"You mean-- You think that's what happened to Cecilia? She's been kidnapped?"  
  
The young man nodded, heart heavy with guilt. "I have to get her back, Arthur. I don't know where he's taken her, but I'll to follow her to the ends of the Earth if I must."  
  
"But Pegasus-- your work here--"  
  
Max shook his head. "You aren't talking me out of this, Arthur. I'm leaving you in charge... Say goodbye to your granddaughter and everyone else for me. I'll try to return soon."  
  
Arthur found himself staring at the door. "Pegasus, I hope you know what you're doing..."  
  
--  
  
Somewhere over California, heading into the Pacific:  
  
Cecilia was aware of the movement before she opened her eyes. Now if only she could muster up enough energy and rise above how nauseated she was feeling, she might have a chance of figuring out what was going on, other than that she was somewhere she probably didn't want to be.  
  
Cecilia opened her eyes and saw a pair of boots, then looked up to see that Keith was the one filling them.  
  
"You sure slept for long enough," he commented. "Longer than I even needed."  
  
She managed to sit up, slowly to avoid the wave of dizziness that threatened to overcome her. "Keith, you traitor. Where are we?"  
  
Keith gave her an innocent-who-me look. "What in the world would possess you to think me, of all people, a traitor?"  
  
"We're in a transport of some kind and no human power has resources for such large transports. Where are we, and tell me now before I hurt you."  
  
Keith smirked. "Heavens, but you're moody today."  
  
Cecilia felt all her nausea and exhaustion vanish with her anger. "Keith!" she growled threateningly, jumping to her feet, "Where! Are! We?"  
  
The man stared at her in startlement. "In a Queliyg airship headed for Japan."  
  
The exhaustion reclaimed her and she sat heavily down on the floor. "You could have had the decency to put a chair in here. Or a bed."  
  
Keith stared at her. "I'd think there should be a bed where you're going, lady."  
  
"Which is where?" she asked, warning in her tone.  
  
Keith shrugged and strolled away from her. "I may as well tell you since there's nothing you can do. You'll be an honored guest of Gozaburo Kaiba himself."  
  
Cecilia made a face and lay down on her side. "The Queliyg pet, 'governor' of Japan, hmm?"  
  
"I wouldn't insult him like that to his face if I were you."  
  
Cecilia sat up again and glared at him. "I'll do as I please, and listening to the advice of a turncoat like you is not exactly as I please, featherboy. How could you betray us, your own people, like this?"  
  
Keith got a particularly cocky grin on his face. "You have to look out for Number One in this world, sweetheart. Number One's the only guy that counts."  
  
She shook her head and looked away from him, arms crossed. "Nobody who really counts believes that. Take Max's father, for example. He could've kept to himself, could've looked out for Number One and Number One's family, but instead focused on people he didn't know. And started the rebellion his son leads. Only cowards think that Number One is all who counts. Cowards-- and that's it. That's you."  
  
Anger twisted Keith's face. "How can you call me a coward? I--"  
  
"Can't prove yourself otherwise!" Cecilia raged, standing again. "Everything you've ever done is for your own gain! You never cared about the people you could free, you've just wanted to live in the lap of luxury. I've seen it in you ever since I met you. You're a self-serving, weak- willed miser who's so stuck on himself you can't recognise what a tiny backbone you've got!"  
  
Keith boiled with fury, but he didn't do anything. The two glared daggers at each other for a few minutes, and then he turned on his heel and marched out.  
  
"You know I'm right!" she yelled at his back.  
  
--  
  
End Chapter Three. Wow, Cecilia's mean when she wants to be, isn't she? I'm sorry this one was short, it had to be. Anyone wondering about that "Kekatsu" thing, "Kek" is the god of darkness and "Atsu" means twin. So it's "Dark Twin." Also, anyone wondering why Cecilia seemed to be under the weather, well, you'll find out what's wrong when she does and it wasn't just for convenience. One last thing for anybody who's confused; since the Queliyg came nine years ago in here, it was before Seto and Mokuba's father died and therefore Gozaburo Kaiba never adopted them. He was too busy kissing alien butt. 


	4. Say WHAT?

Disclaimer: We still don't own Yugioh. What, do you think we're rolling in cash or something?  
  
--  
  
Many gracious thanks to the people who've reviewed us, we love you. Bodzilla, thanks for being the first. High Crystal Guardian, the Queliyg are usually pale yellow with kind of owlish (or parrotlike?) beaks. They're kind of like really feathery dinosaurs in some ways, too, because they have arms instead of real wings... Golden drew some pictures but we don't have a scanner. You guys make us feel all warm and fuzzy.  
  
This is still dedicated to Mr. T, and we feel we have to keep saying it in case we decide to withdraw that dedication (just kidding! ^_^) But this chapter is also dedicated especially to Mom. We know this seems to be mostly the Pegasuses' story, but don't worry, Yami, Yugi, and the rest show up again next chapter!! So keep reading!!  
  
--  
  
Chapter Four: Say what?  
  
--  
  
_"Keith, you traitor. Where are we?"  
  
Keith gave her an innocent-who-me look. "What in the world would possess you to think me, of all people, a traitor?"  
  
"We're in a transport of some kind and no human power has resources for such large transports. Where are we, and tell me now before I hurt you."  
  
Keith smirked. "Heavens, but you're moody today."  
  
Cecilia felt all her nausea and exhaustion vanish with her anger. "Keith!" she growled threateningly, jumping to her feet, "Where! Are! We?"  
  
The man stared at her in startlement. "In a Queliyg airship headed for Japan."  
  
The exhaustion reclaimed her and she sat heavily down on the floor. "You could have had the decency to put a chair in here. Or a bed."  
  
Keith stared at her. "I'd think there should be a bed where you're going, lady."  
  
"Which is where?" she asked, warning in her tone.  
  
Keith shrugged and strolled away from her. "I may as well tell you since there's nothing you can do. You'll be an honored guest of Gozaburo Kaiba himself."_  
  
Max's eyes snapped open. "Japan. Kaiba." He stretched, because the driver's seat of an M113 isn't the most comfortable place to sleep. "Now how do I get to Japan?" he pondered, studying the steering wheel. Maybe if he stowed away in an airship... He wasn't too keen on spending time hiding in a cargo hold or something but he'd do it for his wife.  
  
"May as well suck it up," he muttered, putting the M113 into gear and heading for the nearest port. "Maybe I can figure out a way to avoid the cramp in my neck after something like that..."  
  
--  
  
Mexico City: North American Space Port; two days later  
  
Max arrived late in the day, all the better for "the warrior called Pegasus." He tucked his hair up into a knit skull cap to hide its silver sheen, then slinked into the city, hoping the dust from his journey would obscure who he was.  
  
The first time Max had ever seen an alien that was neither Queliyg or elf arrived shortly, as a large, pink squid slurped across the street.  
  
Max blinked. "Hoo, boy." He advanced a little more cautiously.  
  
Pretty soon he came across what appeared to be some sort of spacer's bar. The sign over the door read La Cuccaracha, and presumably said the same (or something similar) in several other languages, at least two of which were definitely alien. Max presumed it was a seedy place.  
  
As he entered, he noted that most patrons seemed to be alien, and there was a little elven woman wearing a necklace of sharp spurs tending the bar.  
  
"Hey," a large, bearlike creature said as it brushed past him to go out, "Isn't it past your curfew, human?"  
  
Max swore at him in Queliyg. The ursan blinked.  
  
"Oh, so it does tricks, does it?" the alien finally said. "Who trained ya, I wouldn' mind meetin' her!"  
  
Max said something that would've been very insulting if the bear understood any of the three human languages he'd used, but it obviously didn't.  
  
"What?" the bear asked.  
  
Max thought fast. "I said, 'How do you give your fur that shine?'"  
  
The ursan looked down at his dull, grizzled fur. "Shine?" He looked back up, but Max had melted into the crowd.  
  
He found an empty stool at the bar. The elf bartender soon came over to him.  
  
[I need help,] he murmured to her in slightly broken elvish. She glanced around as if to make sure no one was watching.  
  
"So what would you like?" she asked in English. [And what kind of help do you mean?]  
  
"Something Terran. Preferably cheap." He set a few simoleons on the counter. The Queliyg had a different name for the money but he could never quite get his mouth around it. [I need to get to Japan. It's urgent, but I'm trying to keep the Queliyg from noticing.]  
  
"One minute please," she said loudly, then softer, [That shouldn't be too difficult, the Queliyg have a terrible intelligence network.]  
  
He waited as she poured him a drink and then set it down before him. "Thanks." He took a sip, then made a face at the sour taste. [Can you point out anyone who might be able to help me?]  
  
She shrugged. "I'll check the expiration date on that bottle." [I suggest you talk to that tall scaly gentleman over there.] She gestured subtly toward the alien in question. He was lounging catlike in a corner, dragonlike face pointed vaguely in their direction. [He might look frightening to you or me, but he's anti-slavery and never liked the Queliyg. He might help you. His name's Xab're Sk'tal.]  
  
"Zah-breh Ski-tal..." Max approximated. [Is that close enough that he won't eat me?]  
  
The elf laughed. [He's extremely tolerant. Very few individuals can pronounce his name well.]  
  
Max stood. "Okay. Thanks, and you really should check the label on that thing."  
  
Xab're was huge, and Xab're was scary, and Xab're was imbued with predatory grace to spare. _He must get chased by the females of his species all the time,_ Max thought a little insanely.  
  
Xab're blinked at him slowly as he approached. "Interesting," he said in a mostly clear, sophisticated accent, "If you have long, silver hair under that cap of yours, I'd say I've seen you on a Queliyg wanted poster."  
  
The skull cap was suddenly making Max very hot. "Um-- Oh?"  
  
The draconic creature laughed and sat up, his tail uncurling from around his long legs and pushing out a chair for Max to sit at. "Apparently flawless in battle and extremely clumsy when hiding oneself's true nature. Sit down, Maximillion."  
  
Max sat. "The bartender told me you might be able to help me," he said.  
  
Xab're smiled, careful to keep his razor-sharp teeth mostly hidden. Max just barely caught their glint. "Ah, Myra. One of the only free elves in this city. What a wonderful person. What help is it you need?"  
  
Max found himself staring into Xab're's dusky green cat's eyes. It felt as though they could burn past the very soul. "I need passage. To Japan."  
  
"Japan, hmm?" Xab're pulled a single golden scale free and studied it. "Don't you have things you have to do here?"  
  
"What I have to do in Japan is my priority right now. A traitor has taken my wife there, and I have to get her back."  
  
Talons tapped the table and two silvered wings ruffled at Xab're's shoulders. "Ah. Insanity for a woman. Be careful of it, Maximillion. I thought I fell in love once."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Xab're made an expression of disgust. "She was Queliyg and I was a different species. Her mother's mindset got to her soon enough." His eyes turned pale blue. "Her name was Ryin. Pretty for a Queliyg."  
  
Max nodded. "You sound like Shakespeare. How long would passage to Japan take?"  
  
Xab're shifted in his seat and frills at the sides of his head flared a little uncomfortably. "You might not like hearing this, Maximillion, but if you want to survive getting to Japan it could take almost a month."  
  
Max gaped. "A _month?_ Why?"  
  
"It's harder to get things _into_ a Queliyg territory than it is to get things out... The sooner we get to it, the sooner you can get to Japan."  
  
Max jumped up, startling the alien. "Then let's _go!_"  
  
--  
  
Domino, Japan: The Governor's Estate  
  
Cecilia was led into the practical fortress by her kidnapper, Keith. Even though she still felt woozy, she managed to keep her head up and remain dignified.  
  
"Master Kaiba sent me to examine the prisoner," an elf said as she stepped in their way.  
  
Keith glared. "Why wasn't I informed?"  
  
The elf put her hands on her hips. "You were not told because you didn't need to know," she replied. "Until now."  
  
He growled and grabbed Cecilia's shoulder, pushing her toward the elf. "Fine. Go with her."  
  
The elven healer took Cecilia's hand and led her away. "Are you really Cecilia Pegasus?" she whispered in an awestruck tone.  
  
Cecilia nodded. "Yes, I am, and I don't feel well, which you should probably know."  
  
The she-elf grinned. "I would have found out sooner or later. It's my job." She opened a door to what appeared to be an examination room and pointed out a little bed. "My name is Mysti. Sit, please."  
  
Cecilia sat gratefully. "Thank you, Mysti. I've just been so _tired_ lately."  
  
Mysti nodded thoughtfully. "Have you ever encountered elven healers before?"  
  
"Well-- yes. Seven years ago, I contracted a rare and deadly illness. Max took me to a nearby group of free elves and begged for help. If not for their old healer, I would have died."  
  
"Oh, dear." Mysti was stirring a cup of what looked like tea. "Take a sip of this, please."  
  
Cecilia did.  
  
"Mmm! What is it?"  
  
Mysti smiled. "Something to make you feel a little less stirred up. There's actually nothing special about it, it's just soothing. Lie down, please."  
  
Cecilia lay flat on her back. "You're always so polite. It's wonderful bedside manner, I suppose."  
  
"How exactly have you been feeling lately?" the elf asked.  
  
"I've been nauseated, tired, my feet hurt and I can't decide whether I'm happy, contented, or ready to tear people's heads off."  
  
The healer nodded. She went about several cursory examinations, then said something in elvish.  
  
"I'm sorry, was that directed to me, because I only speak about one or two words of elvish."  
  
"Hmm? Oh, sorry, no. Up, please." Cecilia got up.  
  
"So what's wrong with me?" she asked.  
  
Mysti smiled. "I'm sorry, but we're being monitored," she said softly, as if to escape the detection of any microphones. "Master Kaiba wants to speak with you now."  
  
--  
  
Gozaburo Kaiba was a big, square-shouldered man who managed to fill the entire main hall with his cold presence. He turned a hungry, evil smile on the comparatively small young woman who entered quietly, elf behind her.  
  
"The wife of Pegasus," he said as if in greeting. "Shame your husband couldn't join us, my dear, but he will soon, he will soon."  
  
"I'm bait," Cecilia said, and it was statement and not question.  
  
"Oh, so smart," he said, coming in very close to her, too close. "And so beautiful, too. It's little wonder Pegasus married you." He put a hand down and caressed a few silky golden locks.  
  
Cecilia jerked away. "Do you mind? It's hard enough keeping it clean without people touching it all the time. Especially unclean people like you."  
  
Kaiba's face twisted angrily. He started to draw his hand back, as though to slap her, but Mysti intervened.  
  
"Master," she said, stepping between them, "I know that you have strict orders not to lay a hand on her until Pegasus is securely captured."  
  
The hand dropped. "Fine. Take her to her cell."  
  
--  
  
"You'll like your cell-mates, at least," Mysti said hopefully as she led Cecilia through the dungeon.  
  
They walked past a cell which held two human males, one of whom was crouched by the wall apparantly engrossed in a line of ants. The other looked up to see them.  
  
"Hey, Weevil," he called to the other in a gruff voice.  
  
Weevil ignored him, so he went over and kicked him in the head. "ACK! Rex!"  
  
Rex grabbed his shirt and pressed him to the bars so he could see Cecilia. "Another one. Whaddya think?"  
  
Weevil's cheeks were squashed between the bars. "I think you should let me get back to those ants."  
  
"ANTS!?" Rex demanded a little hysterically. He looked around, saw them, and ran over to stomp on them violently. "DIE!!"  
  
Weevil fell over. "REX! NOOOOoooooo!!!!  
  
Cecilia found herself looking back toward their cell. "What in the world?"  
  
Mysti grinned nervously. "Don't mind them. They've been in here a little too long. Your cell is here." She pointed out the cell already occupied by two younger humans, but it was roomier and they seemed to be a little saner, at least.  
  
The older of the two, a buxom blonde, stood up and came toward the bars. "Hi, Mysti!" she said in a surprisingly cheerful tone. "New inmate?"  
  
The other stood as well, and as she came closer Cecilia realized that there seemed to be something wrong with her eyes.  
  
They were completely blank, without iris or pupil, and a pale pink- purple. It took Cecilia a few moments to realize that they were artificial implants.  
  
"Cecilia, these are Mai Valentine and Serenity Wheeler," Mysti said. She turned to Mai. "Mai, this is Cecilia Pegasus. You-- should keep an extra eye on her."  
  
"Why?" Mai asked. "I already take care of Serenity. Do you mean you want me to be extra protective of Cecilia?"  
  
"Yes, why?" Cecilia asked, a little annoyed that Mysti wasn't telling what was going on with her.  
  
Mysti glanced at Serenity, then rubbed her eyes a little exaggeratedly. Serenity closed her eyes. "They record what she sees," Mysti explained to Cecilia. "And I don't want them to know about this."  
  
"Know _what?_" Cecilia demanded angrily. Mysti looked a little uncomfortable.  
  
"Uh-- well... Congratulations, Mrs. Pegasus... You're pregnant!"  
  
"I'm _WHAT?_" _What perfect timing!_ she thought sarcastically.  
  
"Oh!" Mai said. "Well, there's as good a reason as any!"  
  
--  
  
The Asteroid Belt: five days later  
  
Max impatiantly paced the cabin of Xab're's ship, The Rare Hunter. "When can we get moving again?" he demanded of the reclining dragonoid.  
  
"Patience, Maximillion. I have to convince my friend to let his little servant break us through security in Japan."  
  
"I thought you were anti-slavery," Max said.  
  
"I am, and Duke isn't a slave, not anymore." Xab're stretched. "My friend bought him in Japan, took him up here, and set him free to work at what he pleased. He just likes to keep an eye on him, is all."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Xab're laughed heartily. "Wait until you meet the boy, and then maybe you'll know."  
  
Max shook his head. "Why does that not sound like a good thing?"  
  
--  
  
"Ah," Max said as he watched the hyperactive teenager practically bounce around the ship garage. "Because it's NOT a good thing." Particularly to leave someone with a sugar intake that high in an area with an airlock.  
  
Xab're shook hands-- claws with his friend. "Good to see you again, Jardexil," he said. He turned to Max. "This is Jardexil Kuperitaj, Maximillion. Duke's former owner."  
  
Jardexil groaned. "Please just call me Jard," he told Max. "Xab're's people don't believe in nicknames."  
  
Max shrugged. "Then just call me Max, Jard." He was a little confused on which hand to shake, since Jard had two on the right side.  
  
Jard was a muscular, blue skinned creature with yellow eyes and one cybernetic arm on the left side. The one above it was flesh. Max had to wonder for a moment how he lost one of those arms, but not the other. And why he even bothered with a replacement when he had three others in the first place. Balance, Max supposed.  
  
"We were wondering if we could take Duke to Japan with us," Xab're said.  
  
Worry flickered across Jard's face. "Either he wouldn't survive or nobody else would survive him," the alien said. "He tends to be a little excitable."  
  
Max glanced over at Duke. "No kidding."  
  
Jard grinned for a moment. "Hey, Duke, get over here!" The boy hopped over. "You remember Xab're, kid?" The human nodded. "Well, this is his friend, Max Pegasus."  
  
Duke's eyes widened. "Are you serious? This is PEGASUS? Wow!! Um-- nice to meet you!" He suddenly seemed a little shy.  
  
"I see you've heard of him."  
  
Duke blushed. "Oh, _anybody_ who keeps up with news on Earth hears about Pegasus! He's a hero!"  
  
Max shook his head. "I'm not a hero, Duke. My father was a hero. I'm just trying to honor his memory."  
  
"What do you need Duke for, anyway, Xab're?" Jard asked.  
  
Xab're flexed his wings. "Maximillion here needed to get from Mexico to Japan. Duke could help us get past the security."  
  
Max shook his head, glancing up at the two large creatures. _I feel like such a little kid,_ he thought. _Dukie-boy here isn't helping much._  
  
Jard gave him a yellow stare. "Why in the galaxy would you want to go to Japan, Max? Isn't being Duke's hero in America busying enough?"  
  
"My wife was taken there by a traitor. I have to get her back, soon and safely."  
  
Jard chuckled. "Ah, the men lead, but they still follow the women. No wonder your race is going in circles." Duke blushed and gave his former master a dirty look.  
  
"Will you let me go?" the boy asked. "At the very least I need a break from all your teasing."  
  
Jard feigned a hurt expression. "Fine, kid, if that's the way you want it. I'll miss ya, though."  
  
Max watched as the boy's eyes melted. "Sorry, Jard."  
  
The alien grinned and wrapped Duke in all four arms. Duke choked. "Hey, kid, I'll be fine. Help Max and Xab're, an' keep outta trouble." He set the boy back down. "Get outta here, you three."  
  
Xab're grinned. "Thanks, Jardexil." He turned to go.  
  
"Thanks, Jard!!" Duke called, running out. Max began to follow them, about to toss a similar thanks over his shoulder, when Jard stopped him.  
  
"Hey-- Max, take care of that kid, wouldya?" Jard's yellow eyes seemed to glisten. "He's really kinda vulnerable, and I hate ta think of him hurt..."  
  
Max nodded. "Can and will do, Jard. Thank you, and don't worry." He followed after his companions.  
  
--  
  
Domino, Japan; one week later  
  
Max sighed. Two weeks since he'd set out to save Cecilia, just a little longer since he'd seen her, and her absence, plus Duke, was driving him slowly insane. Interestingly, he'd learned over the trip to the Belt and back to Earth that Xab're was well versed in human literature. He'd quoted Rudyard Kipling more than once in reference to Duke, jokingly calling him "a man of infinite resource and sagacity." Max called him "the Duke of Hazards." And not quite jokingly. The boy seemed to take dangerous delight in space travel, and the hacking of security systems especially.  
  
Xab're poked his pointed head into the room. "Maximillion, here's where you and Duke get off."  
  
Max stood. "He's coming with me?"  
  
Xab're shrugged. "He seemed to think he could help."  
  
Max laughed. "If he can learn to be quieter. I really appreciate all of this, Xab're."  
  
"Don't mention it. Literally." He handed Max a tiny transmitter. "If you ever need a trip back, just buzz me, alright?"  
  
Max grinned. "Right. Thanks, Xab're."  
  
"Yup. Don't let Domino eat you alive, and don't eat Duke alive when he starts to drive you off the wall."  
  
Max made a face. "Yuck. I'm supposed to be keeping an eye on him. Jard would kill me!"  
  
The dragon nodded. "He'd tear you to pieces all right. See you, Maximillion, and good luck."  
  
"Thanks. I hope we'll be needing that trip back soon."  
  
--  
  
End Chapter Four. ^_^ So, were you surprised? Max ought to be! ^__^ That Xab're sure is something, ain't he? He's such a great alien that we think he'll definitely make a reappearance. (HCG, we can't come up with quite the right words for him yet.) Meantime, should it be a girl, or a boy? Argh, Silver says boy, Golden says girl. Go figure. (And Mr. T shrugs every time we ask him. Males...) 


	5. Could You Please Repeat Yourself More Sl...

Disclaimer: STOP _LOOKING_ AT US LIKE THAT! WE ALREADY TOLD YOU WE DON'T OWN YUGIOH!  
  
Silver: Although it's a darn shame...  
  
Yup, it's still dedicated to Mr. T.  
  
Mr. T: STOP IT! STOP IT!  
  
Technically this chapter is part of the last chapter, so it'll be short, but hey, don't kill us!! Yugi and everybody come back and it seemed too different from the last chapter to smoothly fit them together as one.  
  
We still can't decide on a boy or girl , but all of the boy names we found stink comparitively so we might be leaning towards a girl. On the other hand, GriffenFire says it should be a boy. NO TWINS. Poor Cecilia has enough to worry about without being pregnant with TWINS!  
  
Thanks, guys, for reviewing... GriffenFire, the [] are just to indicate they're talking in a different language. Later there'll be {} for High Elvish.... and High Crystal Gaurdian, how did we know you knew? We must be all reading each other's minds... Anyway, Max doesn't have the Eye, because we would have taken pains to mention it, but he does seem to have inherited a few of its abilities anyway. Remember the dreams?  
  
Chapter Five: Could You Please Repeat Yourself More Slowly?  
  
Domino, Japan; The governor's estate  
  
"How do you feel, Cecilia?" Mai asked as the older woman awoke. She groaned.  
  
"My belt needs loosening, I have to go to the bathroom, and even though I feel sick, I still have the most insane craving for about six different foods I haven't eaten in nine years. I don't WANT oatmeal, even if it IS good for me!"  
  
"Sounds normal," Serenity said, coming out of the bathroom. "If you have to go you had better do it now instead of waiting."  
  
A high-pitched howl from Rex and Weevil's cell startled them. It sounded like Weevil.  
  
"A SCORPION!!" he squealed. "AND YOU HAD TO SQUISH IT!!!" The rant dissolved into traumatized sobbing. "How could you, Rex? Why, why?"  
  
"Oh, come on, kid, it was him or me! He was a mean little sucker! An' he almost got me, too."  
  
Weevil's loud sobs continued. There was a sound of flesh hitting flesh, and then muffled grunts as they apparently began to fight.  
  
The three human females glanced at one another. "Just about anything will set them off at each other, won't it?" Cecilia commented.  
  
Mai shrugged. "Pretty much, yeah."  
  
"HEY! Oh, gross, don't do THAT!" Rex's voice raged. "Man, if I could get a different cell mate, I'd do it in a second!"  
  
"The feeling's mutual, dinosaur brains!"  
  
"Sometimes you just have to wonder what in the world they're doing in there," Mai commented. "Not that I really want to know."  
  
Serenity made a face. "Get in the bathroom, Cecilia, before I go back in there for thinking too much."  
  
Cecilia was suddenly on her feet and standing in the doorway of the bathroom. "Clean your brain out, Serenity."  
  
--  
  
Domino "town square"  
  
Seto glanced around discreetly, not liking the daylight. Yugi stood behind him, or rather Yami did, but Seto was not completely aware of the difference.  
  
"So we jus' get in an' out as fast as possible, huh?" Joey asked a little too loudly.  
  
Seto glared at him. "Shh!"  
  
"Learn to be a little quieter!" Tristan said, poking Joey.  
  
"And don't state the obvious," Kel added with a grin.  
  
Yami grinned a little evilly in amusement. "They're taking all of your lines, Seto."  
  
The other grunted. "Let them. Just so long as we all pull this off in one piece." He started toward the warehouse, then was stopped by the war-suited Queliyg on duty.  
  
"What are you up to, human?"  
  
Seto, fully aware that the others would probably start giggling insanely about now, turned wide blue eyes on the Queliyg. "What am I up to?" he asked in an innocent voice. "Why would I be up to anything?" Why couldn't Yugi have done this?!?  
  
_Of course,_ Seto reminded himself, _he's TOO small and vulnerable to a Queliyg. She'd probably eat him._ Not quite literally, of course... he hoped.  
  
The Queliyg's beady black eyes seemed to soften a little bit. "Well-- because this area is restricted."  
  
Seto's eyes widened further and he hoped this wouldn't be too much strain on his poor eyelids. "I'm sorry, Ma'am," he said. "I didn't mean to break any rules..." inside he fought the urge to laugh as he saw Yami Yugi, Joey, Tristan and Kel sneaking around to the other side of the building.  
  
The Queliyg seemed a little flattered that he was calling her by a title. She was probably low rank.  
  
There was a noise inside the warehouse. She turned. "What in the Glorious Queliyg Empire is that?"  
  
Seto shrugged. "Maybe it was a cat." The feathers on her head and shoulders ruffled and she went to take a look.  
  
Seto groaned as he heard Joey. "Hiya!" the blonde shouted from inside the warehouse, and there was suddenly a lot of noise. Seto ran in the front door, which the Queliyg had foolishly left open.  
  
Chaos reigned within. "_JOEY!!_" Seto yelled over the din. "HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU TO BE _QUIETER?!?_"  
  
Joey ran past him, several large packages of food and what appeared to be some sort of howitzer in his arms. "'Parrantly, ya can't tell me enough times!" the other teen said in passing. "Go grab somet'in'!"  
  
Seto rushed in and pounced on the Queliyg from behind, grabbing her helmet and tearing it off, then grabbing onto her feathers.  
  
"AIIII!" the Queliyg screamed, as he began tearing at them.  
  
Yami Yugi looked up as the Queliyg managed to rip Seto away from her shoulders, using a cybernetically augmented arm and taking pinfeathers with him.  
  
"And here I thought you were a cute little mammal," she hissed at him, beak clacking dangerously.  
  
Despite that he was hanging from a large avian's sharp-taloned hand, Seto managed to smile beatifically at her. "I am a cute little mammal," he replied somewhat teasingly. "Even adorable little bunnies get mean, after all."  
  
She threw him to the ground in annoyance. "Seto!" Yami Yugi called. Seto was on his feet instantly.  
  
"I'm okay, Yugi. She, on the other hand..." he turned to the Queliyg. She had mysteriously dropped, twitching, to the ground. "Wow."  
  
Yami Yugi threw him a few packages and a plasma weapon. "Get going!" he shouted as Tristan and Kel passed to the door. Then he gathered an armload for himself. He stopped by Seto, who was still staring at the Queliyg. "Please get going?"  
  
"Huh? Yeah!"  
  
--  
  
Max and Duke walked down the street, side by side. Duke was already driving Max crazy again. Although it might have been the terrible human traffic.  
  
A blonde teenage human boy pushed through the crowd, large burlap bag slung over his shoulder. It was suspiciously bulky and what appeared to be a weapon barrel stuck out the top.  
  
Max grabbed his arm as he tried to run past. "Oh, you're a smart one, aren't you?" he demanded. The boy tried to jerk loose.  
  
"Lemme go!" he yelled. "I got a bird on my tail!" Max did not let go.  
  
He grabbed the barrel of what turned out to be a portable howitzer and pulled it out. "This is called a weapon. It is wonderful for crowd control, and getting rid of large yellow birds. Use it, and your brain." Max pointed it at the side of a building and fired it off, throwing himself backwards. It had considerable kick. Within seconds the teaming mass of human bodies was virtually gone.  
  
He handed it to the blonde, while Duke giggled a little from overexcitement. "There," Max said, a little of his bad mood straining through, "Isn't that SO much BETTER?"  
  
The brown-eyed blonde took it, glaring at him as two figures, one familiar and the other generic (other than a terrible hair-style) ran toward them, also carrying burlap bags, but with weapons out.  
  
"Why is it ev'rybody I meet has ta insult my intelligence?" the blonde demanded of the brown haired stranger. "I'm not stoopid, y'know!"  
  
Max looked at the other, an elf, and felt his heart jump to his throat. He had to resist letting on that he'd seen Kel before. _And here I was sure he'd die!_ Not that Max was dissappointed to see the blonde elf alive, certainly.  
  
The brown haired boy stared at Max. "Who are you?" he asked. "I've seen your face somewhere before, haven't I?" Two more were coming, another brown haired boy and a shorter boy with the wildest hair Max had ever seen in his life.  
  
For the second time. But something didn't seem quite right about him, he seemed taller, and some of his blonde hair seemed to be standing up in front of the rest, like he'd been standing in a wind tunnel, almost. "No," Max told the taller boy, with the terrible haircut, "unless you read the news, which I doubt."  
  
"Hey, just 'cause we're poor don't mean we can't get the news," the blonde butted in angrily. "Who do ya t'ink ya are, anyhow?"  
  
Duke spoke before Max could. "He's Pegasus!" he said proudly, grabbing Max's shoulders. "And I'm helping him find his wife!"  
  
_I'm beginning to wonder if spending half of his life in orbit didn't affect Duke's brain development,_ Max thought in annoyance.  
  
"You're Pegasus?" the other brown haired boy asked, coming close just in time to hear that part. The wild haired boy also joined them. "Wonderful time for introductions. I'm Seto, they're Joey, Tristan, Kel and Yugi." He immediatly changed tracks and gave Joey a dirty look. "Did you fire that thing off? You don't even know how to use it!"  
  
"That's right, he doesn't," Max said. "I did it."  
  
Seto's eyebrows rose. "Oh. Never mind, then. Though if you don't mind, I'd like to know why you did it?"  
  
Max growled. "I was getting tired of that crowd!!! WHY ARE WE STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET LIKE THE ACTORS IN A BAD SKIT??" The others looked at each other. "MOVE!!!" Max shouted impatiently. "You don't get anything done in a rebellion when you stand around like mannequins!"  
  
"How'd you know we're part of the Japanese rebellion?" Tristan asked.  
  
"You actually are? Sweet heavens, I'm losing hope here! Pick a direction and run!!!"  
  
Yugi made a break for it, and the others followed seconds after. Max and Duke ran along. "In case anyone cares," Max went on, happier now that something was happening, "My companion is Duke Devlin, and I'm sorry for being in such a bad mood."  
  
"You are a very strange man," Seto replied over his shoulder. "Wouldn't you agree, Yugi?"  
  
Yugi laughed, and his voice seemed deeper than it had in Max's dream. "He doesn't seem any stranger than the rest of us, Seto. What brings you to Japan, Pegasus?"  
  
"Call me Max," he replied. "It's easier to scream that way. As Duke said, we're looking for my wife, Cecilia. She was kidnapped and I have reason to believe she was taken here."  
  
They came to a subway entrance and started down the steps. Joey collided very suddenly with someone who'd been coming up, and they both tumbled down, Joey's weapon and bag flying loose and going wherever. There was a lot of commotion and scuffling.  
  
"Who's there?" came a soft voice with a British accent.  
  
"Dat's wat I wanna know!" Joey replied, sounding miffed. A light came out of nowhere and Max was startled to realize it was a flashlight.  
  
The light shone on Joey and its holder came to stand over him. "Oh, dear. I'm terribly sorry, are you all right?"  
  
"Who are you?" Tristan asked the boy, going over to help Joey up. Joey smacked his hand away and got up on his own.  
  
"I'm Bakura," the other teenager said. "Would you like to buy a flashlight? It's awfully dark down here."  
  
"No," Max said, grabbing Bakura's sleeve. "You're coming with us, so we'll just use yours."  
  
"Today is just our day for picking people up, isn't it?" Seto demanded.  
  
--  
  
End Chapter Five. What are Rex and Weevil doing in their cell? And we'll let you think what you like. Hey, we got the gang in this chapter, right? Don't look at us like that. Please, don't-- STOP! STOP!! Geezopetes, you can't blame us for wanting to develop that "tiny little" wrinkle with Cecilia first off, can you? You can. Shoot. 


	6. A Jailbird Breaks Loose FLY! FLY!

Disclaimer: If we owned Yugioh, we wouldn't be sticking this thing on, would we? No. Thbbbbb!  
  
This chapter, even though it'll be spoiling, is the one where Max finds out his wife is pregnant. This is still dedicated to Mr. T, of course, but it's also dedicated to Golden and Mr. T's father, who, poor fella, had to hear the news five times.  
  
A lot of people (Okay, EVERYONE) asked what happened when that Queliyg soldier dropped to the ground, twitching. It involved Shadow Magic, but you can develop your own theories if you like. (To be honest, there was a little "stepping in" that Seto was unaware of.) We're also happy you liked the "cute little mammal" line.  
  
Chapter Six: A Jailbird Breaks Loose (FLY! FLY!)  
  
Cecilia, Mai and Serenity sat silently in their cell, not really doing anything.  
  
"You have beautiful eyes," came Weevil's voice from the cell he occupied with Rex. The three women looked at each other, eyes widening. A few seconds passed.  
  
"Weevil," came Rex's somewhat wearied voice. "Why are you flirting with that housefly?"  
  
Serenity began to giggle. "I'm not sure which is worse," Mai said. "What that sounded like or what it really was!"  
  
Cecilia grinned. "Jailhouse humor has much to be desired, but I'm so tired right now I couldn't care less."  
  
"EVERYTHING about jailhouses leaves much to be desired," Mai replied. "Especially the food."  
  
"_Definitely the food!_" Cecilia cried plaintively while Serenity nodded.  
  
A guard walked past, then came back and looked in. "Well, hellooo there," he said, a dark smile twisting his lips. Mai stood and set herself in a fighting stance.  
  
"Go away, Panik," she growled. "You remember the last time we tangled."  
  
Panik winced. "Yes, I'm still nursing that leg."  
  
Mai grinned. "I noticed the limp." Serenity and Cecilia glanced at each other.  
  
"I can... _reassign_ you three to different cells if you don't shape up," he threatened softly.  
  
Horror struck Mai's face. "You don't have the power to do that!" she said, a little hopefully.  
  
Panik came closer to the bars. "Are you sure about that, Mai Valentine?"  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo!!!!" screamed Weevil suddenly. Panik's head snapped toward the other cell, confusion on his ugly face.  
  
Rex's voice soon followed. "They're HOUSEFLIES, Weevil, they only LIVE twenty-four hours!"  
  
"_Why are you always so insensitive?!? WAAAAAHH!!_"  
  
There was the smack of Rex trying to slap Weevil into sensibility, followed by Rex's scream of pain as Weevil drew blood, most likely with his teeth.  
  
"YOU LITTLE TERMITE!!! I'M GONNA _STOMP YOU INTO MUSH!!!_"  
  
Panik stepped away from the bars of the three women's cell in annoyance. "I'll deal with you later," he told Mai, and stomped off to break up the fight.  
  
"_You two little runts had better cut that out,_" they heard him yell. "_Or I'll break you BOTH IN HALF!!!_" It suddenly became very quiet.  
  
Mai looked over at Serenity and began rubbing her eyes. Serenity closed her own, cutting off the recording systems in her eyes.  
  
"Somebody has to get out of here," Mai said softly, "to tell people how much help we need."  
  
Cecilia made a face. "It won't be me," she moaned. "I can barely get off the bed before I decide I might decorate the walls using oatmeal."  
  
Serenity smiled. "It would look more interesting than bare cement," she said, eyes still closed.  
  
Mai shrugged uneasily. "I feel like I should stay too, to protect Cecilia. Serenity, it has to be you that goes."  
  
Serenity's eyes flew open. "What?! But they-- Record what I see... They'll have no trouble finding me!"  
  
"Record," Mai said. "Not transmit. You know very well they have to check what you've been seeing every twenty-four hours."  
  
"As long as a housefly's adult lifespan," Cecilia said with a smile. "You can do this."  
  
The pale violet was covered over again as Serenity closed her eyes. "Fine. What do I have to do?"  
  
--  
  
Serenity crawled carefully from the air vent and dropped to the floor. _I suppose it's so cliché they'd never even suspect it,_ she thought, brushing off her shoulders and arms. _Now I guess I'm on the home stretch._  
  
She looked around nervously, resisting the urge to squeeze her eyes completely shut. _Hmm, a laundry chute._ She crept towards it cautiously, then opened it and began to climb in.  
  
A little too late she realized how slippery the walls were. "OopssSAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!"  
  
As she fell, she decided her life was not flashing before her eyes. That was definitely NOT how it worked. It was flashing behind her eyes. "Big Brother," she whispered, praying that somehow Joey would hear her in his dreams, "I'm sorry we couldn't see each other aga-" Impact.  
  
_Hmm,_ she thought curiously. Having every bone in her body being broken was surprisingly comfortable.  
  
Then she realized she was lying on what had to be a ton of clothing. "Laundry chute, duh," she reminded herself, trying to squirm off. It was difficult to do, as the laundry didn't seem to be packed together very tightly at all.  
  
"Getting out of our cell was easier than this," she complained, flailing around somewhat helplessly. She stopped, realizing that it was useless, making her tired and that it looked silly besides.  
  
"Maybe if I try to swim with it," Serenity pondered. "Maybe swimming will be easier when it's not water." Of course, she hadn't been to the beach in years. Not since before the Queliyg. Only by a few days, in fact.  
  
--  
  
Some excruciatingly long time afterward, she was out on the street. Cecilia had told her to get out of the daylight quickly, since their captors had some small investment in her and would probably notice her disappearance fairly quickly.  
  
Still, she hadn't been outside in too long. She headed for a subway entrance a little grudgingly, but took the time to skip.  
  
--  
  
Seto had been combing the subways and other tunnels for Mokuba for almost two hours and the little ten-year-old was still nowhere to be found.  
  
"Why does he always pick the most inconvienent times to disappear?" Seto grumbled to himself. Footsteps sounded down the tunnel, and Seto slipped quickly into darkness.  
  
A young girl was wandering the subways. She was probably about thirteen or fourteen and dressed in amazingly clean clothing.  
  
She looked over to where he was hiding and he realized something seemed to be off-balance about her eyes. Then he realized she was looking straight at him.  
  
"I can see you," she said. "Why are you trying to hide?"  
  
_I don't know what you're talking about,_ he thought a little dryly. _I'm not here._  
  
She walked toward him and he realized that her eyes were one solid pinkish purple. _Artificial eyes, no wonder she can see me!_  
  
"I'm Serenity Wheeler," she said. "Who're you?"  
  
"Seto."  
  
"Do you have a last name?"  
  
"No. Are you related to a guy named Joey Wheeler?"  
  
Serenity stared at him in surprise. "You know him? He's my older brother!"  
  
Seto stepped from the shadows and smiled wryly. "No wonder I could hear you coming from so far away. Joey's louder than an elephant."  
  
Serenity frowned. "I seem to remember that. But I haven't seen him in ages."  
  
"Why not? Where've you been?" He came a little closer to look down at her.  
  
Serenity looked a little uncomfortable. "If he ever said anything about me you might know I was taken prisoner pretty quickly after the invasion."  
  
Seto winced. "And you survived? Escaped, even."  
  
Serenity started in remembrance. "Yes, escaped! I need to get the others out, too!"  
  
"Woah, what others?"  
  
Serenity stared up into his icy blue eyes. "Mai and Cecilia. They helped me get out, but--"  
  
Seto stopped her. "Cecilia? As in Cecilia Pegasus?" The girl nodded. "Come with me. We'll get them out."  
  
--  
  
Seto entered Sub-Town, dragging Serenity by the hand. "JOEY! PEGASUS! Get out here!"  
  
Sub-Town began waking up. "Hey, some of us is tryin' ta sleep here, ya joik!" Joey started, but then he saw his sister. "SERENITY!" He ran over and embraced her roughly, lifting her off the ground.  
  
Seto stood to the side, arms crossed. "Very cute, but your sister says we're on a time limit."  
  
Max soon strolled over. "What's going on, Seto?"  
  
Yugi appeared at his elbow, followed by Tristan, Solomon, Bakura, Duke, Téa and Kel. Serenity saw the elf and her expression of joy changed to one of startled recognition.  
  
"Kel! Everyone back at the estate thinks you're dead!"  
  
"Ushio, too?" Kel asked hopefully.  
  
Serenity shrugged. "I heard some doctors talking about him and apparently the only words they've been able to get out of him lately are 'Sah,' 'Mah,' and 'Skah.' No clue what it means."  
  
Seto glanced at the girl. "Tell Pegasus about his wife, Serenity. He hasn't seen her in almost a month."  
  
Max looked at both of them. "My wife?"  
  
"Oh- ah..." Serenity smiled nervously. "She was one of my cellmates, with another woman, named Mai. They helped me escape, but they couldn't come with me, because Cecilia's not feeling well."  
  
"Why?" Max demanded in alarm.  
  
"It's not really a bad thing," Serenity started. "I guess I'm the first to tell you, ah-- Sir, your wife is pregnant!"  
  
"Say-- what?" Max asked, and before she could say another word, his eyes rolled back and he fell. Fortunately, Tristan and Bakura were standing right behind him, and broke his fall before he hit cement.  
  
Everyone stared at him. "He's fainted!" Yugi said a little obviously. Tristan and Bakura managed to get out from under him.  
  
Max's eyes opened. He looked woozy. "Could you please repeat yourself a little more slowly?" he asked. Serenity shrugged.  
  
"Congratulations?"  
  
--  
  
End Chapter Six. Boy, that was mean of us, wasn't it? Short AND a (sort of) cliffie! But where's Mokuba? 0.0 We still don't know if it should be a boy or girl, but if it's a girl we've got a name all picked out. However, Golden is being outvoted by Silver and the reviewers. ^_~ (All the names for boys that we found stunk. Any suggestions?) We'll let you know. (Duh!) 


	7. BREAKOUT!

Disclaimer: (Sigh!) We still don't own Yugioh, blah blah blah. There's a few characters we wish we owned, but slavery is illegal in the United States.  
  
High Crystal Guardian, you completely hit the point of poor Max's fainting spell. And Symbol Names are good. Yes, GriffenFire, we did know; see, we own four or five naming books, and Golden STILL can never come up with good names.  
  
Golden: But I'm naming my first daughter Spike Deathstalker. *laughs* Probably not for real, but that's what my dad's best friend wanted to name ME.  
  
Seto Kaiba Red Archery Girl, Tank U for reviewing our earlier chappies! ^_^  
  
Finally: Our story has become precious. Unintentional Nightmare, that praise was so uplifting we made ourselves hot chocolate and dedicated an hour to begging Golden's dad for a scanner so we could draw you a picture of gratitude. Didn't work, though. : p  
  
This is, of course, still dedicated to Mr. T. And to Metabee the Medabot, because we miss him. (Waah!) This is also dedicated to George Washington. 0.0 Peggy's hair reminds Golden of those silly powdered wigs. (No! Freedom!!! Let freedom ring!!!!)  
  
Chapter Seven: BREAKOUT!  
  
Domino, Japan: Sub-Town  
  
Duke explained his (rather insane sounding) plan for getting into Kaiba's estate to the others as they walked through Sub-Town.  
  
"You know," Seto interrupted, "I still haven't found Mokuba. Maybe I should stay out of this and just keep looking for him."  
  
Serenity gave him a sad, sad look while several of the others objected.  
  
"You're one of the best people we've got," Yugi reminded him.  
  
"Yeah, well, that isn't really saying much." Seto looked at the ground for a second, then glanced at Serenity, who still had her sad, sad expression. "Oh, all right. Mokuba's gotten lost plenty of times before."  
  
Duke grinned. "Since none of you objected, does this mean we're going with my plan?"  
  
"As long as we don't go with Tristan's," Bakura said, reffering to Tristan's speech about scaling walls on the outside of the building. "It's terrible!"  
  
"When do we get started?" Serenity asked, eager to save her friends.  
  
Joey glanced at her worriedly. "Sis, I don't think you should go along. You already spent too much time in dat place, and you to'd us your eyes record t'ings, too."  
  
"They stop after twenty-four hours," Serenity began to object, but then saw the look on her brother's face. "But I'm the only one who knows where the cell is!"  
  
Max put his hands on her small shoulders. "Which is why, if he complains any more, I'm going to make you tell me where it is. The best chance we have, though," and here he gave Joey an apologetic look, "is if you come with us. Because speed is the key here, and not quite safety."  
  
Duke got an extremely elated look on his face. "So we are going with my plan!"  
  
Tristan got a puzzled look on his face. "I thought that meant we'd go with my plan!" he said in an undertone to Bakura.  
  
"If we are," Bakura replied, "I am staying on the ground."  
  
Max, not hearing the exchange, smiled at Duke and cuffed his shoulder. "Yeah, Duke, we're going with your plan." Duke beamed.  
  
--  
  
Kaiba's Estate  
  
The extremely sad looking elven Enforcer stood silently at the gate like a guard at the Tower of London. (Which had been blasted to smithereens eight years before because the Queliyg thought of it as somewhat unsightly.)  
  
Kel walked toward the Enforcer, smiling, a good old fashioned sword hanging at his hip. [Hello there, Keagan!]  
  
Keagan looked up in surprise. [Kel?! I heard that Ushio killed you!] Kel leaned against the wall beside Keagan, taking out his sword and inspecting the blade.  
  
[To tell the truth, Keagan, he almost did. A human rebel saved me, with healing magic! I even recognized the words as High Elvish!]  
  
Keagan gave Kel a skeptical look. [Are you trying to break in, clan- brother? No humans have ever been taught that language, so you must be trying to fool me some way or another.]  
  
Yami came up from the same direction Kel had appeared from. {He's not lying,} he said in what Keagan and Kel called High Elvish, a smile twisting his lips. {Except that I call this language Egyptian, and the language you have been speaking Gaelic. Interesting that two languages would be common to two planets, yes?}  
  
[If you speak lesser elvish why not do so instead of overusing a more sacred language?] Keagan asked in annoyance.  
  
[How else would you believe me? Would you let us pass?]  
  
Keagan looked to Kel. [He has other ways of getting in,] Kel said. [We were told to get you out of the way, no matter how it's done. I've seen him do terrible things to human Enforcers. How has Ushio been doing?] Yami frowned.  
  
Keagan's eyes widened. [That was you?] Yami nodded, a dark smile gracing his lips. [Oh, then I guess I really am letting you pass!] He symbolically stepped out of the way, bowing. [I'd open the gate, but they open it by remote from the building. There's no key!]  
  
[Duke has allowed for that,] Yami said curtly, then turned to look in the direction they'd come from. "All right, the guard won't be any trouble! We're ready!"  
  
Duke bounced out from the rubble, crowbar in hand. The rest of the rescue team followed, Max, Seto, Tristan, Bakura, Joey, Serenity, and Téa, all armed with blades and firearms.  
  
Duke attacked a panel by the gate, prying it off to reveal wires and microchips. Seto went to look over his shoulder.  
  
"Okay, if I just tweak this here, the gate should open," Duke said, but Seto shook his head.  
  
"I think it'd probably be best to just pull out that one microchip right there," he said, pointing.  
  
Duke gave him a derisive look. "What would you know?" he demanded, pulling the wires he'd originally chosen. A little screen blinked on, reading "20."  
  
"The gate systems are being tampered with," a female voice said tonelessly. "Twenty seconds to alarm activation."  
  
Duke swore as Seto rolled his eyes. "NOW what do I do?!" he hissed in panic, fiddling with the circuits. Yami closed his eyes, listening to Duke and Seto argue.  
  
The timer stopped. Duke blinked. "What did I do?"  
  
"Not this," Seto replied sarcastically, reaching over Duke's shoulder and yanking out the microchip he'd pointed out before.  
  
The gate opened, silently, smoothly, and without a peep from the security computer.  
  
Duke gave Seto a dirty look, and the other boy stuck his tongue out. "Nyat dis," Duke muttered under his breath as they entered the gate, leaving Keagan behind.  
  
"How'd you know about that, anyway?" Serenity asked Seto curiously. He blushed a very little.  
  
"Sometimes, I guess, I can just kind of feel the right way around a machine," Seto tried to explain. "I'm not sure why..."  
  
Both Duke and Tristan noticed the exchange. Duke's eyes narrowed. "Mr. Teenage Prodigy," he muttered to Tristan. _ And now he's got another one-up on me!_  
  
Tristan shrugged. "Seto has always been pretty smart."  
  
"What? Just a shrug?" Duke queried. "No jealousy, not even a twinge of annoyance?"  
  
Tristan grinned. "Well, he's obviously nervous around girls," he said, "And I've known him long enough to know he's not always doing it on purpose."  
  
Duke snorted derisively as they came to the building's entrance.  
  
Seto turned to Duke. "Any ideas on getting us through this door?"  
  
"Yeah," Duke replied a little angrily, "We get the guy with the hardest head and use him for a battering ram." Max glanced at him, surprise registering in his face.  
  
Seto grinned. "You mean... Joey?"  
  
"HEY!!" Joey shouted angrily.  
  
Duke shook his head, angry that Seto could so easily deflect such things. He stomped over to the control panel to the door. "This one looks manual," he said, anger vanishing in surprise.  
  
Seto leaned over his shoulder again and the annoyance returned. "Noo," Seto said, eying the buttons. "Suppose you can figure out the code?"  
  
Duke shrugged. "Well, it's a panel of numbers, and if we could see which ones are most often pushed..."  
  
"That's just fine," Seto argued, "If you didn't need them in a specific sequence."  
  
Serenity giggled. "Try punching in Kaiba's birthday."  
  
"But they don't know Kaiba's birthday," Tristan said, looking puzzled.  
  
"I think she was joking," Max pointed out.  
  
She shrugged. "Only halfway," she replied, reaching between Duke and Seto and punching in a few numbers. "Well, it's worth a try, isn't it?"  
  
The door opened. Serenity's face lit up. "It was!"  
  
Joey's eyes widened. "Then what are they doing there?!" he cried, pointing at the warsuiters standing in the hallway.  
  
"Oh..." Serenity murmured. "I guess they're regular security for the front door. I wouldn't know."  
  
Max swore in English. "_Wonderful, Serenity,_" he cried, pushing her out of the way as the warsuiters registered what was going on and opened fire.  
  
Bakura pressed himself against the wall. "_Now what do we do?_"  
  
Yami pushed Kel unceremoniously to the floor. "_Everyone get down!!_" he ordered, Eye glowing on his forehead.  
  
Bakura stared at him. _Kekatsu, do you see that?!?_  
  
_Yes,_ the spirit replied, _Be a good boy and get on your face like he tells you!_ Bakura flopped to the ground, but carefully kept an eye on Yami Yugi.  
  
Everyone joined him except for Yami himself. He crouched to the ground and scuttled under the line of fire until he faced the center of the door. The warsuiters stopped, realizing they weren't firing at their target anymore and needed to readjust aim, and looked down at him.  
  
Yami stood, the Eye glowing brighter. _Is he crazy?_ Bakura asked Kekatsu.  
  
There was a short silence, as though the whole world was waiting for something to happen. Yami raised his arms.  
  
_No,_ Kekatsu replied, _I think he knows for the most part what he's doing._  
  
"Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress!" Yami bellowed theatrically. A screaming roar sounded.  
  
Suddenly, up in the sky, a large blue form appeared and plummeted towards the earth. The Queliyg warsuiters eyed it nervously.  
  
It screamed again and the warsuiters panicked, pointing their weapons at the quickly approaching creature and letting out a wall of fire.  
  
No effect.  
  
The dragon began slowing its descent, catching air in its wings like a parachute and lowering gently to the ground. Its eyes glittered and it grinned, long teeth gleaming.  
  
The Queliyg screamed in terror and fled.  
  
Yami grinned, a little sweat beading on his temple. The illusionary beast vanished. "I wasn't quite sure that would work," he admitted as the others looked up.  
  
"What did you do?" Max demanded. He too had seen the dragon... and recognized it.  
  
Yami shrugged nervously. "Later. Now's not the time."  
  
Max shook his head darkly as they followed Yami into the building. "You aren't getting off the hook that easily."  
  
--  
  
Alarms began to sound. Mai and Cecilia looked up, and sounds of confusion began to fill the corridors.  
  
"What's going on?" they heard Rex say. "Weevil, now ain't the time to be setting those cockroaches free."  
  
"But it's the perfect time!" Weevil's squeaky, wet voice retorted. "Maybe they'll distract the guards for us!"  
  
"And that would help us how? We're still locked in, you moron! OH, YUCK! _Don't set them free next to ME!_" There were several oozy crunching sounds. "DIE, PESTILENCE!"  
  
"REX, DON'T!"  
  
Mai stood and pressed her face to the bars. "I can't see anything that would tell us what was going on," she told Cecilia. "Uh-oh, better scratch that. Here comes some blonde guy, and he doesn't look too happy!"  
  
Cecilia struggled up, cursing her husband, and went to the bars. "Keith! What are you doing here, traitor?!"  
  
Keith grabbed the bars for support while he caught his breath. Cecilia went to sit back down in disgust. "I'm here to take you to a safer cell," he said, fiddling with the door.  
  
Mai growled. "You mean Pegasus has come for her, and you're here to make her harder to find. Over my dead body." She grabbed a food serving tray and began banging at his hands with it.  
  
"Ack! Don't!" He jumped away, swearing angrily. "It might just have ta be over your dead body!"  
  
A cockroach climbed over his foot. He and Mai stared down at it and watched it disappear. Up his pantleg. "Oh. Yuck." Mai observed.  
  
Keith shrieked and began to dance around, slapping at his pants. "I THOUGHT THEY SPRAYED FOR THESE THINGS!!!"  
  
Weevil stuck his head almost completely through the bars of his and Rex's cell. "They did, but I saved them! Now Rex is killing them anyway!!"  
  
Keith hopped in his direction angrily, making as if to grab him by his green hair and pop his head off, but Weevil ducked back in just in time. "YOU LITTLE SO-AND-SO!"  
  
"Great comeback, Keith," Mai deadpanned.  
  
"You won't be happy either if I have to take off these pants to get rid of it!" Keith retorted, still "dancing." Mai winced.  
  
--  
  
Serenity led the others to the dungeon. Max stared around at all the other prisoners. "Ugh." he muttered. "Okay, all of you work on freeing everyone here. Serenity, lead me to my wife."  
  
"Wait," she said. "There's an elven healer named Mysti that Kaiba tends to keep in the upper levels. Could someone--"  
  
"I'll go," Seto instantly said, springing up the stairs. They stared after him.  
  
"Hey," Kel suddenly said. "I know her! Wait up!" He ran up after the teen.  
  
Max shook his head. "No more volunteers for one elf," he said, stopping Duke and Tristan. "Right now is no time to think about brownie points." He tugged on Serenity's sleeve. "Come on, Serenity. I haven't seen my wife in over a month."  
  
They ran off in a certain direction, Serenity leading.  
  
--  
  
Seto found an elevator. "I haven't been in a working one of these in nine years!" he exclaimed, blue eyes lighting up. He pressed the "up" button and got in just as Kel caught up with him. The doors closed.  
  
Kel swore in elvish. "He doesn't even know where her clinic is, anyway," he muttered, running off in a different direction.  
  
[Mysti!] he called. [Mysti! It's me, Kel!] After clearing one or two flights of stairs in leaps and bounds, he found her clinic. [Mysti? Are you in there?]  
  
The door opened and Mysti stared at him in astonishment. [Kel! Everyone thought you were dead!]  
  
He grinned and took her arm. [As I've been told twice already, by Serenity and Keagan. Come on, let's get you out of here.]  
  
[But what's going on? Kel!] He tugged on her arm.  
  
[I'll explain on the way. Come on!]  
  
--  
  
Seto realized that the elevator was taking him up to the top floor. "Whoops--" He knew perfectly well, after examining the elevator some, that there was nothing he could do.  
  
He was facing the back when the elevator stopped and the doors opened. Seto whirled, and swore.  
  
"Well, that's rather strong language for a fifteen-year-old!" Kaiba noted, grabbing him by the trenchcoat collar and dragging him from the elevator. "Don't I know you, little boy?"  
  
Seto struggled. "Doubtful," he replied. Kaiba was strong!  
  
"Actually, I think I do," Kaiba replied, lifting him off his feet and dropping him into a chair. There was a huge panoramic window in the far wall. "Yes, you look remarkably like one of the boys that recently looted a warehouse, and who was later spotted near Maximillion Pegasus himself! The guard's suit took pictures of you."  
  
Seto gulped, starting to get up, but he found himself pushed quickly back down by Kaiba. "In fact, you were even identified by a prisoner we picked up this morning!"  
  
Seto's blue eyes widened as a terrifying thought struck him. "Pr- prisoner?"  
  
"Why, yes," Kaiba said with a smile. "Seto, he called you. Said you were his brother."  
  
"Mokuba," Seto whispered. _No wonder I haven't been able to find him!_ "Why would he have told you?" he asked hoarsely.  
  
"Oh," Kaiba said in an innocent tone. "He didn't want to tell us. In fact, he was very, very stubborn about the whole thing. He needed a little-- persuading, shall we say?"  
  
Seto felt a growl rise up in his throat. "He's-- just a kid! Why would you start asking in the first place?"  
  
Kaiba's eyes darkened maliciously. "He's a 'kid' who was under suspicion. He's a 'kid' that one of my Enforcers found in the sewers, and I'd given orders that anyone found down there be taken in."  
  
Seto stood. "Where's my brother, Kaiba?"  
  
Kaiba raised one eyebrow. "Excuse me, is that a threatening note in your voice? Here, in my home, in my domain? Mokuba seemed to think you were smarter than that."  
  
"It's not so foolish," Seto growled angrily, running at Kaiba.  
  
CRACK! Kaiba's arm smashed into Seto's chest, and he found himself seated once more in the same chair. "Oh, it's not, is it?" Kaiba demanded, advancing.  
  
"Whoops--"  
  
--  
  
Max and Serenity came next to Rex and Weevil's cell, and stopped, staring. Keith had taken off his pants and was jumping up and down on them.  
  
"DIE, DIE!" he screamed at the top of his voice.  
  
Serenity covered her eyes. "I'm glad he wears boxers," Max said. "Do we even wanna know?"  
  
Cecilia poked her head out enough to see them. "Max!! Serenity!"  
  
A grin broke out on Max's face. "Cecilia!" he cried in relief.  
  
Finally Keith noticed them standing there. "Whoops," he said, bright red. He reached for his gun, then realized the holster was still attached to his pants. He started to reach down for them, but the cockroach crawled from the folds and excreted on the holster. Keith got a horrible look on his face.  
  
Weevil poked his head out, an excited look on his face. "She finally laid her eggs!"  
  
Rex looked out too. "I don't really think that those are eggs, Weevil."  
  
"How would you know, you don't know what bug eggs look like!"  
  
Keith looked about ready to hurl, then noticed that Max had pointed his plasma blaster at him. He swore emphatically and ran the other way.  
  
Max ran over to his wife and began messing with the lock. "You can open your eyes now, Serenity, he's gone."  
  
The door clicked open and Cecilia rushed into her husband's arms. "Max, you have no idea how much I've missed you!" She then punched his shoulder. "That's for getting me pregnant!"  
  
Max rubbed his arm. "Serenity warn-- told me. Mood swings are supposed to be normal, right?"  
  
Mai nodded, walking over to Serenity, then glancing at Rex and Weevil. "So, should we let the peanut gallery out?"  
  
They both gave their best impression of Bambi eyes. Serenity burst out laughing.  
  
"It was my cockroach that went up Keith's pants!" Weevil offered.  
  
"We're also probably the only source of real entertainment you've had the whole time, too!" Rex added.  
  
Mai shrugged. "Well, pull your empty heads out from between the bars and I'll get it open. Cecilia, Pegasus, Serenity, you guys go on ahead."  
  
"Right," Max said. "But call me Max."  
  
--  
  
The whip cut into Seto's arm as he tried to protect his face. He yipped with the pain, feeling tears well up, and grabbed his bare, bleeding forearm.  
  
"Oh, listen to the little dog whimper," Kaiba taunted, kicking Seto to the floor. He landed on his face as Kaiba raised to strike again.  
  
Seto managed to look up, trying to figure out where his knife and handgun had landed, but they were too far away. The whip slashed across his back, cutting open the cloth.  
  
"Look at how weak you are!" Kaiba clucked. "And Mokuba thinks so highly of you, too!"  
  
"Shut. Up!" Seto hissed as the whip struck again.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you! What did you say?" The whip rose.  
  
"SHUT UP!!" Seto screamed, rolling over as the whip whistled toward him... and catching it on one of his spiked cuffs. He jerked at it, but it wouldn't come out of Kaiba's hand.  
  
"Not bad," Kaiba said, sounding astonished. He pulled on the whip, which was tangled in the left wrist guard's studs, yanking Seto up towards him.  
  
He was about to catch Seto in the jaw, but the boy saw it coming and drove his right cuff into Kaiba's chin instead. Kaiba stumbled backward, letting go of the whip, and Seto ripped it free and threw it away, mostly useless.  
  
Kaiba rubbed his chin, wiping away the miniscule beads of blood. "Impressive," he told Seto. "Not many manage to draw blood fighting me." Seto growled animalistically and charged.  
  
Kaiba stepped out of his way. "Both of your parents are dead, aren't they?"  
  
"What do you care?" Seto demanded, voice hoarse from the tears of pain.  
  
Kaiba lifted a chair. "I would sit down a moment, if I were you, my boy." He threw the heavy chair at Seto, who dashed away from it. It crashed to the floor, breaking into pieces.  
  
Seto backed away. "Why are you trying to have a conversation with me?"  
  
Kaiba picked up a piece of chair and advanced, wielding it like a club. "You're certainly a better fighter than I first realized," he said. "And your brother's accounts of how smart you are don't seem to be all hero worship..."  
  
"Why are you even bothering to talk to me?" Seto asked, bewildered. He dodged a swing of the "club." Kaiba grinned as he saw the confusion in the teenager's blue eyes.  
  
"If you're as intelligent as you're supposed to be, reason shouldn't be above you, my boy."  
  
"Reason?!" Seto demanded incredulously. "My father was killed by Queliyg, my brother has been tortured by the pet of one, and you want me to listen to reason?"  
  
Kaiba's eyes darkened. "I'm not their pet, Seto. Listen to me. You and I, we could drive them away! Kill them all, if it's revenge you want!"  
  
"You've been kissing up to them ever since they landed! I know, my father told me how you helped them subjugate all of us!" Seto's cheeks were wet with furious tears. "You wouldn't get rid of them, you just want me where you can keep an eye on me, and nobody else'd be better off with you in charge, anyway!!"  
  
"Seto," Kaiba said, tossing the chunk of wood aside, obviously to gain a little trust. "Seto, think of what I'm offering you here. It's more than an alliance, Seto. It's a home. I couldn't take your father's place, but I'm willing-- and offering to take his role."  
  
Seto glared at him. "What kind of father would hurt his sons?"  
  
"Are you refusing?" Seto nodded. "Even on Mokuba's behalf? Maybe he would accept me as a father." There was a little faltering, but then the boy strengthened again.  
  
"You hurt him, too. That's worse than hurting me."  
  
"Oh, how sweet, Seto. But I can hurt him more, too, if I don't get my way," Kaiba threatened softly. The teenager's eyes widened, and suddenly Kaiba saw something to fear in them.  
  
"DON'T YOU DARE THREATEN MY BROTHER!" Seto screamed, slamming into Kaiba and steering him toward the panoramic window.  
  
Glass shattered.  
  
Both began plummeting toward the earth, or rather, toward the concrete below.  
  
_Whoops--_ Seto thought, his life flashing somewhere in his vision. Gravity took him-- and then something else jerked on the end of his trenchcoat.  
  
There Seto hung by his shoulders, thirty stories up. Kaiba continued to fall. An awful scream ripped from his throat as he neared the asphalt. Seto closed his eyes, wincing.  
  
"Hang on, Seto," Kel's voice called.  
  
"To what?" the boy demanded as he felt himself being pulled up. Kel laughed as he carefully swung Seto inside.  
  
"To hope," Kel replied. "I've been looking for you. I found Mysti."  
  
It was then that Seto noticed the blonde female. "That's her?" he asked. Kel nodded.  
  
Mysti stared at him. "Oh, dear, look at you!" She began to examine his cuts and bruises. "Were you actually foolish enough to fight him?"  
  
"Foolish?" Seto demanded, voice cracking. "I won, didn't I?  
  
"Only barely, but--" she replied, "I'm surprised you lived three minutes!"  
  
"Everyone's accusing me of being a foolish wimp today," Seto complained, annoyed.  
  
"Kaiba is-- was, hopefully, a cyborg, Seto," Kel said, peering down at the ground. "It's possible he'll survive that! Why were you fighting him?"  
  
"He's why Mokuba's been missing all day!" Seto cried, voice rising. Mysti put a calming hand on his shoulder. He winced. "He hurt my little brother! And he threatened to hurt him again! I've gotta find Mokuba!"  
  
"Seto," Mysti said warningly. "You're going into hysterics. Don't make me tranquilize you."  
  
"He's probably down in the dungeons," Kel pointed out. "If we don't find him, someone else will, and take care of him. Calm down. Please?"  
  
Seto looked like he didn't want to calm down, but when Mysti made as if to stab him with a hypodermic needle, he went quietly.  
  
--  
  
Mai wandered the corridors, trailed closely by Rex and Weevil. "Remember, check every cell to make sure no one's in there," Mai said. "We definitely don't want any left-behinds."  
  
"Sure thing, good-lookin'!" Rex said cheerfully. The blonde spun and seized him by the throat.  
  
"Unless, of course, you call me that one more time, and then I'll throw you in a cell again!"  
  
Weevil giggled as Mai stomped off angrily. He wet his finger and made as if he was touching Rex. "Sss, you just got burned!"  
  
Rex cuffed his ears. "Shut up, broccolli hair."  
  
Mai stopped, staring into one of the danker cells. "Oh," she cooed softly. "You poor little guy." Rex and Weevil ran over to see a bruised and beaten child, about ten and with long, dark hair, lying on the floor like an injured bird.  
  
Mai attacked the lock as the boy looked up at them painfully with stormy gray eyes. It opened quickly and she rushed in to kneel beside him. "What did they hurt ya for, honey?"  
  
The boy moaned. "I-- wouldn't tell..." Mai shushed him.  
  
"So they made you. I understand." She swept him up into her arms, tears in her eyes. "Those monsters. One more thing and then don't talk. What's your name?"  
  
"Mo-kuba..."  
  
"Well, then, Mokuba. We'd better get outta here, and maybe find Mysti, so she can help you get better." Mai walked slowly out of the cell. "C'mon, boys."  
  
--  
  
Yami looked around at the prisoners milling in the entry hall and shook his head. _Utter chaos,_ he thought at Yugi, who didn't quite realize that someone was talking to him.  
  
Even so, the boy insisted on contradicting him. Or perhaps simply defending the prisoners. _They haven't had this much freedom in years, some of them. It's not really their fault._  
  
Téa squeezed over next to him. "Can't someone do something about this crowd?" she asked. "It's ridiculous!"  
  
_See, she agrees with me,_ Yami thought at Yugi. Something in Yugi's mind twinged as he realized he wasn't just talking to himself.  
  
Joey joined them. "Well, whatever whoever does, dey'd bettah not use Max's method of crowd control. I t'ink da buildin' might collapse if we did dat."  
  
Max emerged from the dungeons, Serenity and a beautiful woman at his side. "Look," Téa said, pointing, "That must be Cecilia!"  
  
Joey grinned. "You can see why Max musta' married her. She sure is pretty!" Téa whacked him. "Whaaat?" he demanded, rubbing his head. "She is!"  
  
Then Seto and Kel came down the stairs that led from the second floor, along with the blonde elven woman that had to be Mysti. Once or twice Seto stumbled a little and Kel would catch him, much to Seto's annoyance.  
  
"My goodness," Bakura said as he edged toward them. "He certainly looks like he's had a rough time of it!"  
  
"I wonder what happened," Téa said for all of them. Oddly, the crowd seemed to part for Mysti as the trio made their way to Yami and the others.  
  
Duke and Tristan emerged from the crowd. "What happened to him?" Duke asked in astonishment, staring at Seto. The human teenager and two elves walked closer.  
  
"This idiot got into a fight with Gozaburo Kaiba," Mysti said, jerking a thumb at Seto, who glared at her. "You don't get into fights with cyborgs unless you have a very big plasma rifle!"  
  
Kel laughed. "He won, though."  
  
"He's why Mokuba has been missing all day! I couldn't let him get away with that!"  
  
Yami stared at him. "Kaiba kidnapped Mokuba?" Seto nodded.  
  
"I have to find him," he said, and started for the dungeons, but Mysti held him back.  
  
"Somebody will find your brother, Seto. You, however, are not getting out of my sight until I'm sure you won't do anything else so stupid!"  
  
"Will you stop calling me stupid!"  
  
"Now you know how it feels," Joey muttered.  
  
Max, Cecilia, and Serenity finally made their way over. "Seto, have you not been using your brains again?" Max immediately asked, smiling.  
  
"Will you people just shut up?" Seto snapped. "I nearly die and all you people do is tease me!"  
  
"Where's Mai?" Mysti asked.  
  
"She stayed behind to let Weevil and Rex out," Serenity said. "She should be coming out soon--"  
  
She was interuppted by Mai's voice calling over the general babble. "Mysti?! Hey, let us through, we need the healer!"  
  
"Woah, who's dat?" Joey asked as the crowd slowly parted to reveal the tall, beautiful blonde woman, flanked by two (much) shorter males, who was carrying none other than--  
  
"Mokuba!" Seto cried, rushing forward before Mysti could stop him.  
  
Mokuba managed to look up, and a grin broke out on his face. "Big-- Brother," he said shakily.  
  
Mai looked them both up and down. "It must be a family thing to get the heck beaten out of you," she said. Seto ignored her.  
  
Mysti joined them. "Oh. My." She shook her head. "I suggest a healing trance and plenty of bed rest afterwards."  
  
Seto looked at her, a dazed look in his eyes now that he had reason to calm down. "What?"  
  
Max and Cecilia appeared behind Mysti. "It really works," Cecilia said. "You could be on the edge of death and it would save you."  
  
Max nodded. "We attest as witnesses... Seto, I've just noticed there's a gaping hole in the back of your trenchcoat. What was he doing?"  
  
"Whip," Seto said, and Max winced. "Let me carry him, please. He's my responsibility..."  
  
Mysti stopped Mai before she could hand Mokuba over. "He is your brother, but I'm not about to let you try carrying him after you almost died, Seto." Mokuba looked up again, worry in his eyes.  
  
"Seto... You- al-most died?" Seto got a very angry look on his face.  
  
"Now look," he said to Mysti, "You've gotten him worried!"  
  
"Set-o, just let- the nice lady carry me, o-kay?" Mokuba muttered. Mysti laughed.  
  
"I think that treatment probably shouldn't wait," she noted. "You're Mr. Pegasus, right?" Max nodded. "Congratulations. Please calm the crowd down, will you?"  
  
"Right." He found a high place and found himself climbing up above the door. "HEY, PEOPLE!!" Everyone stopped milling and looked up. Max didn't even need any artificial amplification. "I KNOW EVERYTHING'S A LITTLE CONFUSING, BUT WE NEED YOU TO BE CALM AND SOMEWHAT ORDERLY SO WE CAN BE SURE EVERYBODY GETS OUT SAFELY, OKAY?"  
  
There was some assent from the crowd below him.  
  
"EVERYONE JUST MOVE- WALK, NOT RUN- UNLESS YOU SEE HUNTER SEEKERS, AND FURTHER INTRUCTIONS WILL BE GIVEN OUT AT THE GATE. GO ON, NOW!"  
  
Climbing down and rubbing his throat, Max made his way back to their little group. "That good, Mysti?"  
  
She'd already performed the healing trance on Mokuba, who now slept heavily in Mai's arms. "Yes. You had better get ahead to give those 'further instructions.'" He left, Cecilia following him. Mysti turned to Seto. "Now to take care of you."  
  
"Beg pardon?" he asked, not quite sure anymore what was going on. She shook her head.  
  
"You're half asleep already." Mysti put a hand on his temple and began to chant.  
  
Kel caught Seto as he passed out. "That was a lot easier than I thought it would be," he noted. Yami shook his head in some amusement.  
  
"We had better start moving," he pointed out. The entry hall crowd had thinned out considerably.  
  
"Do you think-- this means that soon Earth will be free?" Bakura asked.  
  
"I sure hope so, Bakura," Téa said softly. More than one person nodded.  
  
--  
  
End Chapter Seven. Boy, our sense of humor is improving. I suppose you hate us now, for giving old Téa the last line there. Thbpbpbpb! We're not quite sure where the story will go from here. (The Plot stops here!!) But don't worry, we're pretty imaginitive, and we've got Mr. T helping us! ^_^ 


	8. Numerous Names, and LOTS of Sushi The Fi...

Disclaimer: If we owned Yugioh, the angst would be angstier, the fluff would be fluffier, Téa would occasionally do super-scary things for no apparent reason, and you would be able to TELL that Seto is a hopeless romantic. Which he is. ^_^  
  
For some reason we got the emails of reviews but they aren't showing up on the site. Oh, well, uploading's been goofy lately.  
  
High Crystal Guardian, the more things change, the more they stay the same. ^_^ We'd love to loan Max out, but Cecilia won't let us. (lol) Actually, Kel and Mysti aren't quite OC's. Think about them a moment.  
  
GriffenFire, the REAL reason that was the entry code is because that's what Golden's mom always does. Hee hee.  
  
Seto Kaiba Red Archery Girl: Tada, update! Gozaburo Kaiba is definitely on my "least favorites" list, too.  
  
Unintentional Nightmare, we're glad we made you smile. (And Deepest Need is still precious! *we're doing the wave, even though you can't see*)  
  
People are still occasionally reviewing "Happy Mother's Day." Hmm.  
  
In this chapter, we're going to have a little fun. ^_^ It's like one of those "non-continuity clean up" episodes that somehow seem out of joint. Of course, it's still dedicated to Mr. T, also to the Name Game, because several times you'll hear Max and Cecilia playing it. Right now we have no plot, so we'd thought a breather would be in order.  
  
--  
  
Chapter Eight: Numerous Names, and LOTS of Sushi  
(The Fishmonger's Jubilee!)  
  
--  
  
"How about... Sydney?" Max pondered as he led the crowd of freed prisoners into the sewers. They had been split into several smaller groups, each led by one of their rescuers, although Seto didn't count, seeing as he was unconcious and being carried by Kel.  
  
"What if it's a girl?" Cecilia asked. "And what about middle names?"  
  
"Hmmm... Sydney Levar or Madison Willa?" His wife shook her head.  
  
"What about Sedge Cliff or-- ah, Maxima Primrose!" she suggested with a smile.  
  
Max shook his head emphatically. "I don't even want a cricket named after me, much less my child. Call it modesty. But the 'rose' reference is nice. How about Primrose Aura for a girl and uh... Crawford James, for a boy."  
  
Cecilia made a face. "Crawford J. Pegasus? Somehow that just doesn't sound right."  
  
"Ugh. You have a point."  
  
Mai came a little closer behind them, little Mokuba still in her arms. "Could you two please play the Name Game later?" she asked. "I wouldn't want to get lost down here in the sewers."  
  
The expectant couple blushed. "Sorry," Cecilia told her. "You know it's our first."  
  
"Don't worry, Mai," Max assured her, "We're almost to Sub-Town."  
  
Mai shifted the child's weight. "I sure hope so. Things are almost always heavier when they're asleep, be it cats or little boys."  
  
--  
  
Seto awoke to find himself in a makeshift bed in one of the Sub-Town subway car homes. Sitting up, he looked around a little frantically to see if Mokuba was in the room.  
  
He was, but he'd obviously been awake already. Seto was in the same clothing he'd fought Kaiba in and blood still caked on his skin where the wounds were. Mokuba seemed to be in clean clothing and had probably had a bath.  
  
Seto swung his long legs over the edge of the old seat frames that supported his bed, and Mokuba awoke. He turned a sweet smile on his older brother. "Feeling better?"  
  
"Not normal yet, but yeah. Are you?" The older boy stood and stretched.  
  
"Mm-hm. You're probably hungry. I was when I woke up." Mokuba jumped to his feet and took Seto's hand.  
  
With some surprise, Seto realized he WAS hungry. "When did you wake up, and why'd you wake up before me?"  
  
"I came out of it sometime around noon. It was almost sunset last I remember before that. Mysti says I woke up before you because cuts that've been bleeding take longer to heal."  
  
"What time is it now?" Mokuba checked a little Timex watch hanging on the wall.  
  
"Eight P.M, approximately." Mokuba turned and gave him a slightly teasing look. "You've been asleep almost twenty-four hours! No wonder you're hungry!"  
  
Eight P.M. is around the time that Sub-Town usually wakes up. As Mokuba led Seto out of the subway car, Seto saw that what had once been a dungeon full of prisoners and slaves were still getting used to the idea of sleeping all day and doing the important things at night.  
  
"Hi!" Mysti said cheerfully, hopping out of a nearby car in a manner that indicated she'd been waiting for the boys to emerge.  
  
"Mysti," Seto greeted a little angrily, "Don't ever do that again!"  
  
The blonde elf gave him an innocent look. "Do what? C'mon, we'd better get you cleaned up and fed, right, Mokuba?" She spoke so fast, winking at Mokuba, that Seto didn't have a chance to protest as the two practically carried him away.  
  
--  
  
Yugi wandered the subways and sewers alone, several illusionary creatures keeping him company as he wondered how the Puzzle could let him create them.  
  
A brown-furred and green-scaled koosh ball of a creature with yellow eyes bounced happily by his side. A Kuriboh, the Puzzle had called it. There were about fifty more following him in a happy little crowd.  
  
"I sure hope nobody sees this," the little fifteen-year-old muttered. Following up the Kuriboh was a comparitively gigantic, green winged beast that was apparently called a "Feral Imp." It peered into the shadows with curiosity and a bit of malice.  
  
_What would be so wrong about anyone seeing it?_ the-- voice asked him. _No one would bother you, at least._  
  
"Well-- Why am I talking to you?"  
  
_Because it's polite to reply when you're spoken to?_  
  
Yugi found himself pointing at the air, and a spark jumped off, creating another Kuriboh. "But-- you're just the little voice inside my head, as far as I can tell. Do you mean I'm going crazy?"  
  
_Not at all. I'm the crazy one._ Yugi felt a mental grin. Something shivered in the air, and formed into someone who looked like him, but taller, perhaps older. Yugi realized that he would be the only one who could see the taller person, Kuriboh and Imp aside.  
  
A Kuriboh rubbed up against the spirit image affectionately. He laughed and patted it. "Who ARE you?" Yugi demanded.  
  
The spirit shrugged. _I'm a part of you, now. I came from the Millenium Puzzle. When you managed to put it together, you woke me up. Call me Yami._  
  
"Dark? What does that imply about you?"  
  
Yami burst out laughing. _It implies I don't like bright lights._  
  
"You have a very strange sense of humor, Yami."  
  
_Of course I do. That isn't neccesarily a bad thing, Yugi._ Yami conjured up a little fairy-like creature and danced her back and forth from one hand to the other.  
  
Yugi watched. Suddenly Yami caught her in one fist, crushing her into a shower of golden dust. There was a little squeak and Yugi winced. _She's just a bit of air and light, Yugi,_ Yami said, and proved it by reforming the dust back into a graceful little creature, then setting her free into the darkness.  
  
One of the Kuriboh chased after the little beacon, then hopped happily back as she disappeared. "Krr!" it said, rubbing up against Yami and Yugi like a round little cat.  
  
_I don't fully understand the world I've come into,_ Yami admitted. _The Queliyg are very new to me, even though elves are certainly something I recognize. I feel as though I'm here for a reason, but I don't know what it is._  
  
"Maybe you're here to free the Earth, or help, anyway."  
  
Yami shrugged. _Somehow I don't think that's my main purpose, Yugi, but it's as good a place to start as any. But to do anything, I'll need your help, and I'll need to help YOU._  
  
Yugi cocked his head. "Help me with what, and how could I possibly be of any use to you other than as a body anyway?"  
  
Yami put an arm around Yugi's shoulder, and Yugi was a little surprised to feel it rest there. _Fate brought us together, Yugi Moto,_ the spirit said as he steered the boy back towards Sub-Town. _I can tell that you hold a lot of promise, and truly, all you need is confidence, and a teacher..._  
  
--  
  
Mako Tsunami was technically Sub-Town's main source of fish. He went out every evening and morning, always coming back dripping wet and with a netload of fish. He really could get fish any time of day. Even though he fished mostly for himself and his crippled father, everyone knew the enormous surplus was completely on purpose.  
  
This day, Mako apparently decided to go a little crazier than usual. He strolled into Sub-Town, whistling cheerfully as usual, but was missing the enormous net he normally carried the fish in. Instead, he held a rope. The rumbling of wheels followed him.  
  
Everyone around his usual entrance looked up in startlement. He wore mostly sharkskin leather he'd tanned himself (after winning a fight with the fish the skin had come from) and though whatever he was pulling sounded heavy, he didn't seem to be under any strain.  
  
There were a few startled gasps and one little shriek as the onlookers saw what he was dragging behind him.  
  
It was a large, old wooden wagon, huge, really, green paint flecking off and wheels creaking from strain. Its cargo: Perhaps a ton of large fish and one particularly evil-looking shark.  
  
Solomon Moto looked out one of the subway cars and fell over in astonishment.  
  
He went to stand in the doorway. "Good evening, young Mako! That's quite a load of fish!"  
  
Mako grinned at him happily, putting his hands on his hips. "Well, I should think so! We can make it into a real feast, wouldn't you say?"  
  
Solomon chuckled. "That's a LOT of sushi."  
  
Mako nodded, laughing heartily. "Well, I'd better get to my father now, he'll probably be hungry."  
  
Solomon shook his head as the young man walked away, wagon trailing behind him. "I hope he's _very_ hungry."  
  
--  
  
Of course, Mako's father could never possibly be that hungry, which Mako had known perfectly well, so after finding foods to supplement the fish, a feast seemed in order.  
  
Max laughed his head off when he saw the evil shark. "I wish we could take a picture!" he chortled. "It's the _Great White Terror!_"  
  
Cecilia shook her head. "He can instantly come up with names for evil-looking dead fish but he can't decide on one for a child," she muttered, just loud enough for her husband to hear.  
  
He gave her a look. "How about Weatherby James-Quincy?"  
  
"You've gotta be kidding."  
  
"Of course I'm kidding, Ceci!" There was a pause. "Or Princess Petunia for a girl."  
  
Cecilia whacked him over the head with a handy notebook, which she'd been writing names on.  
  
"Ow! Hey!" Max laughed as she continued the assault, putting his arms up to protect his head. "Get a renewal on your sense of humor!"  
  
Yugi walked into the scene and stopped, about to turn around. _I think we've walked into the wrong Sub-Town,_ he thought at Yami, who snickered.  
  
_Expectant couples. What can we say?_  
  
_Actually, I was talking about the fish. Not that I mind it, though. Mako's dad makes a mean Shark-Fin Soup!_  
  
"Yugi!" Yugi turned to see his grandfather walking toward him. "Where have you been?"  
  
"Um... Just around, Grampa. I felt like taking a walk." He glanced over at the fish, Mako, and Cecilia attacking Max. "What's going on?"  
  
Solomon shrugged. "Mako seemed to have better luck today than usual. We're having a feast."  
  
Yugi started. "That's a LOT of sushi."  
  
Solomon chortled. "I'd say."  
  
--  
  
Sometime later that night, they finally managed to set everything up (without Joey, Tristan and Mako devouring everything before it got to the table).  
  
Seto leaned against a car, staring at all the food. "That's a LOT of sushi," he told Mokuba, who nodded.  
  
"I heard someone say that Mako skinned the shark for tanning." The younger brother paused. "Do you think he caught it because his old outfit is wearing out or something?"  
  
Seto shook his head. "Sharkskin leather is supposed to be the best, Mokuba. If anything, it'd be getting too small for him, which I doubt."  
  
Across the plaza set up for eating, Bakura was also staring at the spread in astonishment. Kekatsu chortled in his mind. _That's a LOT of sushi, wouldn't you say?_ Bakura nodded discreetly.  
  
_I did. You weren't paying attention._ Kekatsu shrugged, or gave the impression of doing so.  
  
_I've had my mind on other things, my little friend. Like-- Yugi Moto's Puzzle._  
  
_What are you talking about, Kekatsu?_  
  
--  
  
Five men gathered before the doors, waiting for their new governess to arrive, heads bowed in careful respect.  
  
They didn't have to wait long. The honor guard of warsuiters first entered the room, peering about suspiciously to ensure their lady's complete safety and the human council's humility.  
  
The Queliyg that entered was small for a female, strongly colored for a Queliyg. Her feathers glittered gold and she wore garments of soft green silk. She advanced slowly, at least compared to her guards, treading silently to peer down at the five humans.  
  
"Look up at me," she demanded in cultured Japanese. "So I can be sure no deceit lies in your faces." The five looked up in startlement. Most Queliyg couldn't read human expression other than widening of the eyes.  
  
"G-Greetings, Lady Ryin," the foremost said, nervously.  
  
Ryin relaxed slightly at seeing their fear of her. "Pleasantries some other time. I wish to know the details of Kaiba's-- death. Include everything you consider important, as well as everything you do not."  
  
The first looked over at one of his companions. "Johnson?"  
  
Johnson gulped as the alien focused her attention on him with unblinking black eyes. "Well, it seems to have been initially a raid to free the many prisoners that Kaiba kept in the dungeon. Someone called only 'Seto' accidently found himself in Kaiba's presence, and somehow managed to kill him. We've saved the security tapes--"  
  
"Show them to me. It has to be a more valuable way of utilizing my time than listening to you babble."  
  
"Yes, Governess."  
  
--  
  
After a single viewing of all the tapes, Ryin's sharp mind had already organized exactly what had happened. She called the five humans to her side.  
  
"This was not merely a coup to free all of the prisoners," she told them, calling up an image where a tall, white haired man was being led through one corridor by a young red-headed female. She focused on his face.  
  
"They were after Cecilia Pegasus, and perhaps the other woman in her cell. This man is Maximillion Pegasus, her husband and, as you should know, leader of the American resistance forces. The girl with him is Serenity Wheeler, who apparently escaped mere hours beforehand and had alerted him to his wife's presence here in the building. Of course, Pegasus hasn't the heart to let the other prisoners continue to rot in their cells. To him, everyone's escape was important. That is why he brought others, including the boy Seto, with him."  
  
Ryin brought up another image, this one of a boy with no less than three different colors of hair, arms outstretched as though he was calling upon some greater being's help. He was standing right before the front gate, a battalion of warsuiters aiming for him. "I do not know who this boy is, but he is certainly one to be reckoned with. It would seem--" she let the footage play, and the five men watched as a great blue dragon fell from the sky with a great deal of eerie screaming, then landed gracefully. "It would seem that somehow he has obtained a holoprojecter, but where he would get that image, which strikes terror in the hearts of the more superstitious, who believe that this creature still exists to plague our kind, I have no idea."  
  
"Still exists?" one asked.  
  
Ryin's shoulder feathers ruffled in a shrug. "Why, yes. In primitive times, such creatures could destroy a single Queliyg village easily, usually devouring the inhabitants and livestock. Now, look at this here." She pulled up the footage of Kaiba's downfall. "Listen to their conversation."  
  
They listened as Kaiba taunted, abused, and attempted to coerce Seto. They watched as Kaiba pushed the boy too far.  
  
"Hopefully," Ryin said as she stopped play, "Seto was right in believing that Kaiba simply wanted to win him over with promises of revenge. For Kaiba's sake. On the other hand, young Seto seems more than someone to fear. He is someone to treat with respect, and no one to underestimate. He is also," and here she clucked in amusement, "Very intelligent but low on common sense. Here are the other members of Pegasus's little team." The faces filled the screen.  
  
"I have matched them as best I can to global human registrations. Some, like the boy with the holgrams, I have been unable to find. But these are the ones I have."  
  
"This young man is a black market merchant named Ryou Bakura. His father was a notorious rebel in England, before his capture. I believe he's been trying obsessively to free his father ever since that occured, so his reasons for being in Japan are unclear to me."  
  
"You know, of course, Serenity Wheeler. She was born with a defect that would have eventually destroyed her vision. Queliyg doctors replaced her eyes with cybernetic implants which record continously for twenty-four hours. However, the memory must be wiped once a day for them to continue to record. The stoppage of recording has no effect on her vision."  
  
"This boy is Duke Devlin, a former slave. Last time he appeared in records he was purchased by a being called Jardexil Kuperitaj, who took him out to the asteroid belts and freed him." Ryin shuddered a little. She didn't care what her mother said, there were some places a being just had to draw the line, and slavery was one of them. She applauded Jardexil.  
  
"This is Joseph Wheeler, Serenity Wheeler's older brother. He was captured alongside his sister nine years ago, but escaped shortly afterwards, and almost managed to get his sister out with him. The elf here is Kel, of Sherum's clan. He's supposed to be dead."  
  
The five stirred a little. Johnson spoke. "He belonged to an Enforcer called Ushio. After he disappeared, we assumed Ushio had beat him to death. Ushio himself-- well, let it be said he's in bad condition."  
  
Ryin glanced at him. "When I'm through, take me to him. You are all aware that Pegasus's presence in Japan without your noticing is a black mark upon you, correct?"  
  
They nodded mutely. "Whoever smuggled him in must be very good, Governess," the foremost apoligised.  
  
Ryin nodded thoughtfully. "Yes. Very good. Very."  
  
--  
  
End Chapter Eight. (Forboding music plays) What are the BIG 5 doing here? And does everyone remember that Ryin's name appears back in Chapter Four? ^_^ All Ushio can say is "Sah. Mah. Skah." Hee hee. It was Mr. T's idea. 


	9. Knowing Bakura

Disclaimer: If we owned Yugioh, it would be archaeologicially correct in relation to certain Egyptian beliefs, Yami Bakura's real name would be Kekatsu, and Yami's royal name would have been Atara. Pharaoh Atara Yami just has a real ring to it, wouldn't you say? ^_^ Oh yeah, and the Big 5 would all have names except for Johnson. Hee hee!  
  
Of course, this is still dedicated to Mr. T. We see that the mention of Kel and Mysti not being OCs has misled a few people. (Chuckling) Think more in terms of cards. Your reviews, mostly the comments on Kekatsu, have redirected us. Thanks!  
  
Seto Kaiba Red Archery Girl: This soon enough? ^_^  
  
High Crystal Guardian: We're glad you like Ryin. And we're so happy Deepest Need is on your favorites! ^__^ And Kaeru... might be a bit surprised by this chapter.  
  
GriffenFire: Mmhm, Primrose Aura is a very nice name for a girl... We have no idea where it came from. XD  
  
Somehow, boy names came to us without our knowledge. (Actually these are the names of a few boys from our original manga) Memphis, Gunnar, and Daimon. (Except Daimon is evil. Probably not a good idea.)  
  
--  
Chapter 9: Knowing Bakura  
  
--  
  
Yugi watched silently as the parade for the new Japanese governess marched noisily by. The governess herself eventually was carted by in a burst of noise and color, and when he saw her, Yugi had an arguement with Yami over who was probably more bored, Yami or the Queliyg.  
  
She was beautiful even by human standards, in a vicious, avian way, her surprisingly dark golden feathers shining metallically, her starry black eyes larger than those of some Queliyg, her frame more delicate and more evident of ancestors who had spent their lives in the skies. Yugi suspected that he was simply more used to soldier-class Queliyg.  
  
Max climbed up next to him and peered at the alien cautiously from the subway entrance. "Her name is-- Ryin?" he asked. Yugi nodded.  
  
"I think so, anyway. She looks awful bored, doesn't she?"  
  
Max nodded. "A far cry from most Queliyg, who would happily milk it for all it's worth. I've heard her name before, though. From Xab're Ski'tal, the alien who got me to Japan. I don't know if it's the same lady but he seemed to think she was different from others of her kind, before her mother got after her." He shrugged. "Of course, some of us will go a little crazy when we're in love, myself included."  
  
Yugi grinned. "He was in LOVE with her?"  
  
Max took another careful look at the Queliyg. "He seemed to have reason for it. Called her 'pretty for a Queliyg,' but I think he was probably understating his opinion of her."  
  
--  
  
Bakura wandered deep into the sewers, far away from Sub-Town, trying to find a place where he and Kekatsu could yell at each other without anyone noticing if things got out of hand.  
  
Finally he stopped at a drainage juncture, a large space that had been abandoned for a long time. "Okay," he muttered. "What are you up to, Kekatsu?"  
  
A shadowy figure emerged from the Ring and propped itself against a wall.  
  
Kekatsu's spirit form chuckled. _What, don't you trust me?_  
  
Bakura stared at him hard, trying to read his expression. It was still confusing as ever, what he was getting. "I'd like to know what's going on," he replied.  
  
Kekatsu shrugged. _You know a lot of myself is still... fuzzy at the important points. But I remember the Millenium Items. There are seven of them, the Ring you wear and Yugi's puzzle two of them. Whosoever possesses all seven, it is said, shall be able to rule the world. I think- no, as I remember, the Millenium Puzzle also contains a spirit, like myself._  
  
Bakura's eyes widened. "What would this mean?"  
  
Kekatsu sighed. _The spirit within the Puzzle is the Pharaoh of my time, Ryou Bakura. No one has solved that puzzle since our time._  
  
Something about that statement seemed so profound to Bakura that he simply stood there, staring at Kekatsu. "That's what you've been all distracted over? Remembering this?"  
  
Kekatsu just shrugged.  
  
--  
  
When Bakura got back to Sub-Town, things were silent, as one might expect in the middle of the day. Okay, mostly silent. A soft beat caught his ears.  
  
Padding between the living spaces, silently as Kekatsu had taught him to do, he followed the almost inaudible music.  
  
_Well,_ Kekatsu said as they came onto the scene, _We already knew that Téa could dance._  
  
She seemed to be in her own little world, more absorbed than when she had been when she danced at the celebration. Bakura noted that her eyes were closed, and yet she didn't bump into anything, didn't trip, almost seemed to see through her eyelids.  
  
"She told me once that she had always wanted to be a dancer," came Yugi's voice at Bakura's elbow. He started and whirled to look down at the shorter teen. Yugi was staring at Téa, his cheeks a little pink. "But the Queliyg changed all that. She once wanted to go to some big fancy dancing school in America. I don't really think she needs lessons, do you?"  
  
Bakura looked back at the girl. "No," he said. "She dances with her heart."  
  
They watched her dance a little longer, until Kekatsu began prodding at Bakura to do something. "Um- Yugi... Could- could I talk to you about something?"  
  
Yugi looked up at him. "Sure, Bakura, anything. Let's move away from Téa so she doesn't notice us. She always gets embarrassed when I walk in on her exercising."  
  
As they walked away, Bakura suddenly felt nervous. "Yugi, do you ever-- do you ever feel like there's someone watching over your shoulder, calling out to you and guiding you?"  
  
Yugi glanced at him, surprise in his eyes. "Well, there are a lot of people I like to think are watching over me. My mom, for one. She died just a year ago."  
  
Bakura shook his head. "That's not really what I mean, Yugi. Someone who actually-- talks to you."  
  
Yugi looked uncomfortable. "Well-- Actually, since I solved the Millenium Puzzle--"  
  
"There's been someone there," Bakura finished, to Yugi's obvious surprise. "I know what you mean. Since my father gave me this..." he indicated the golden dreamcatcher-like pendant shimmering against his black clothing, "Things are just different."  
  
They were somehow out of Sub-Town again. It was time to let Kekatsu loose, Bakura decided.  
  
Yugi backed away as Bakura's hair suddenly rose a little, his eyes sharpened. "B- Bakura?"  
  
Kekatsu stared down at the boy and smiled in a semi-sinister way. "Call out the spirit of the Puzzle, little one." He wanted to see him with Bakura's own two eyes.  
  
The Puzzle glowed softly but suddenly. Yugi's own hair rose, gold mixing with black, the two gentle purple eyes narrowed and hardened.  
  
"Who are you?" the Pharaoh demanded. "And what have you done to Bakura?"  
  
Kekatsu laughed at him. "What did I DO? Honestly, now. Bakura has allowed this. As for who I am... I think I will keep most of that to myself."  
  
The other's eyebrow rose. "Most?"  
  
Kekatsu smiled demurely at him. "In another life, I am sure we would be enemies right now. But our circumstances cannot allow for that. You probably know even less about how this strange world order currently works than I, since I have been awake far longer."  
  
The Pharaoh seemed to accept this non-pledge, for he relaxed a grain. "What are you called?"  
  
"For now, Kekatsu, a name I have chosen for myself and find fitting. You?"  
  
"Call me Yami."  
  
In the darkness, two figures, both ancient and young, shook hands.  
  
--  
  
Mwa ha ha!! You thought we were going to make Yami Bakura go after the Puzzle, did you? We sure pulled one over, didn't we? ^_^ Sorry this is so short, but Golden just inhaled a gust of toxic gas that burned the back of her throat and drove our line of thought away. No, seriously, you don't ever want to push down trash that has a bunch of puppy pee-soaked paper towels in it. Yecch!! (She'd better house-train soon. XP) Téa's dream and abilities will come in handy for her and us later, which is why we mentioned it. You've got to imagine she must be rather bitter over it. 


	10. Much ado about NOTHING!

Disclaimer: We don't own Yugioh. Be glad.  
  
Golden:*sniffles loudly and coughs a little* Dedictions still go to Mistah T.  
  
Silver: This chapter has been rather difficult, due to little Hikari's sudden brainlessness. She has been struck down by severe nasal allergies-- which is to say, she can't breathe and she's been sneezing like the wind.  
  
Golden:*grabs a tissue* Honks noisily*  
  
Silver:*~_X* Yuck.  
  
Golden:*singing hoarsely* The PHAAAAN-Tom-of-the-op-er-a-is-THEEEERE.... Inside my mind! *laughs maniacally*  
  
Silver:*shakes head* We call this oxygen deprivation. Now then.  
  
Seto Kaiba and Red: Thank you and You're Welcome. Sorry THIS chapter took so long.  
  
HCG: Mmm. We think Kekatsu is probably pretty twisted... but he's not stupid. Besides that, little Hikari is pretty contrary when she knows what people are thinking. And don't worry, Seto's in this one.  
  
GriffenFire: Yes! You guessed right! You want to do art for WHAT? THIS? *sparkly eyes* And here we thought the only person who'd do art for this was Golden.  
  
Lady of the Thread: ^_^ We know what you're saying. Don't worry, we'd never actually name the poor kid "Weatherby James-Quincy."  
  
kris: Back in the notes for Chapter 3: "Since the Queliyg came nine years ago in here, it was before Seto and Mokuba's father died and therefore Gozaburo Kaiba never adopted them. He was too busy kissing alien butt." To quote a note in "Off the Deepest End," a document on our computer dedicated almost solely to making fun of Deepest Need, "Seto was never adopted by Gozaburo, and both he and Mokuba forgot or forsook their surname years ago." (Forsook as in gave it up on their own.)  
  
Golden:*sneezes loudly* I'm MISERABLE!  
  
Silver: You sound like it. A note: We don't know when Noa died or how old he was when it happened, or even when it happened. For the sake of the story, I've set it so that he was 13 when he died (makes sense when you think about it, he looks two or three years older than Mokuba in the pictures, and he doesn't age any) and that he died perhaps one or two years before Seto was adopted. That makes him three or four years older than Seto, and it also places him out of harm's way in this particular fanfic so that he can appear. If anyone has any thoughts on it, we'll welcome them enthusiastically.  
  
--  
  
Chapter 10: Much ado about NOTHING!  
  
Ryin sat back silently in Kaiba's old office, brooding to herself. The wind whistled in through the still-shattered window and ruffled her golden feathers gently. To her, this was peace.  
  
Finally she leaned forward a bit and flipped a switch on the computer before her, sending out a call to her mother's orbital station, but directing it to a certain human.  
  
A young man's face with deepset blue eyes and aqua hair stared back at her. "Ryin," he said in Queliyg, "Hello." The two stared at each other for a moment longer. "So, did you find out who pushed my father out the window?"  
  
Ryin sent the security footage to her young friend. He looked away for a moment, attention held by his secondary screen. A dark look spread across his features. "This... Seto. Do you have any information on him?"  
  
Ryin ruffled her feathers in a shrug. "Only what little we learned from the security tapes and recent records. He has a younger brother named Mokuba, who your father interrogated personally. His parents died of differing causes, his mother sometime before the invasion. Mokuba didn't seem to know the cause. One possibility is from childbirth, your race has a somewhat dangerous method of reproduction."  
  
The boy nodded. "I'm afraid so. Anything else?"  
  
"Only that Seto is very protective of his brother-- and he looks frighteningly like you, Noa."  
  
Noa glanced at a close-up of Seto's face and snorted. "What's so frightening about it? What would you know about human semblences, anyway?"  
  
Ryin clucked at him in a way he'd learned was a chuckle. "You know, my boy, that if not for the hair-color difference, and difference in age, the both of you would be identical. Also, I am no ordinary Queliyg, being of royal breeding. Moreover... I took both your pictures and checked."  
  
Noa shook his head. "The entire Empire is going to turn on its head if you ever ascend."  
  
Ryin's eyes narrowed and her beak clicked in amusement. "You bet it will. I have the edges of a plan, Noa, and I want you to come here, to Japan."  
  
--  
  
Four beings stood in the darkness, though only two were seen. Bakura had cast off his cloak, revealing an outfit of many pockets (useful for a merchant selling things outside the law) while Yugi had also left his trenchcoat nearby, although keeping his weapons on his person. These included a small pistol kept secure in a makeshift shoulder holster and a knife he wore on his hip.  
  
The two stood in a very old subway station, cavernous in its emptiness.  
  
They were sparring. Or rather, Yami and Kekatsu were, and they were "taking notes." A flash of light issued from the Millenium Ring and a rather polished looking creature in white appeared.  
  
Yami chuckled, the darkness swallowing his voice. "Surely you can do better than THAT, my friend." The dark form pointed and summoned forth a snarling wolf. "Silver Fang! Attack!"  
  
Yugi couldn't help wincing as Silver Fang pounced, tearing the humanoid happily to shreds.  
  
"Adding insult to injury, are you," Kekatsu reproached, reaching out as though he was pulling his next fighter from the darkness itself. What appeared to be an autonomous suit of armour, sans helm, crunched to the ground. It struck swiftly, ribbons of blood following its blade as the sword cut through poor Silver Fang's hide. Yugi yelped.  
  
"The Headless Knight?" Yami queried. "Pfft!" He raised his hands in preparation for a new summoning.  
  
"Yugi? BakurAAA!!" Yami started at the voice, Kekatsu spun to look at Téa, who appeared to be rooted to the spot. She was pointing at the Knight, jaw slack in horrified amazment. "Wha? Wha?"  
  
Before Yami could move, Kekatsu had grabbed his cloak and swept it onto his shoulders, recalling the Knight as he did so. Téa's arm dropped, but she seemed just as rooted as before.  
  
"What are you doing here?" he demanded, advancing on her.  
  
"I- I- was just- I'd wondered where you'd gone-- How-- What was--" she fell silent as Kekatsu put his hand up under her chin, gently closing her mouth.  
  
"It was a magical warrior," he told her, locking her eyes with his own. Yami stood where he had been, a little startled by the straightfowardness. "I am an ancient spirit possessing Bakura, the Pharaoh over there is possessing Yugi."  
  
Téa's eyes widened even further. "Ph- Pharaoh?" Kekatsu nodded.  
  
"He was the king of all Egypt, once. That's the burden of a Pharaoh."  
  
"B-but- why are you telling me this?" Téa asked fearfully. Yami was wondering about the same thing, from the look on his face.  
  
Kekatsu smiled and stroked her cheek. "Because you are about to forget it."  
  
Suddenly there was a flash of light and Téa yelped. "Téa!" Yami yelled, running forward. "Kekatsu! What in Ra's name do you think you're doing?!?"  
  
When he got there, however, it was no longer Kekatsu standing there, but Bakura, who held the girl in his arms. The boy looked almost sheepish. "He's like that," Bakura said, as though that would explain everything.  
  
Yami looked furious, and Yugi was quite furious underneath, himself. "But what did he DO?"  
  
Bakura blushed. "Oh. That. He's erased her memory up to the point where she wondered where we'd gone and left to look for us. She'll be fine, I promise."  
  
Annoyed, Yami insisted on taking Téa into his arms. "Tell him to warn us next time he's planning on doing something like that!"  
  
--  
  
Seto was fiddling around with some stolen Queliyg equipment when Bakura and Yugi walked by, the unconcious Téa in tow. He glanced up for a moment, looked back down at his project, then did a double-take and jumped up after them.  
  
"Yugi! Bakura! What happened to Téa?!" They turned to look at him. Bakura muttered something and suddenly Yugi gave him a sharp glance. Seto came up short, wondering what Bakura could possibly say to annoy Yugi so badly.  
  
"She- ah- Bakura kind of gave her a bad scare, and I guess it was too much for her," Yugi managed. Which was... something near a half-truth.  
  
Seto gave them a puzzled look. "Téa doesn't scare easily," he pointed out. "She's seen a lot of nasty stuff the past nine years, just like the rest of us."  
  
Bakura looked down at Yugi again. "Are you sure you don't want-" but shut his mouth when Yugi glared at him again. Suddenly Seto wasn't sure he wanted to know what was going on. If it was enough to make Yugi so angry...  
  
"Don't worry about it, Seto," Yugi told him. "We're just going to take her to her car and let her sleep it off... I'm sure she'll be fine."  
  
Seto put his hands on his hips as they walked away from him. "It's my job to worry!!"  
  
Kel, who had come up behind him and knew enough to partially decipher the situation., tapped him on the shoulder. "What were you working on, Seto?"  
  
THIS, of course, was more than enough to distract the boy. "Oh!" he exclaimed, more than happy to show off. "This used to be half a Queliyg holoprojector and parts of several different weapons... none of the killing parts, of course, or I'd be making a weapon, not a holoprojector. But holoprojectors can be weapons in themselves, you know."  
  
Kel tilted his head to the side. "What are you planning on programming into it?" he asked. The boy shrugged.  
  
"I'm not quite sure, yet, but something startling!"  
  
--  
  
When Noa arrived on Earth, Ryin was waiting for him. The young man broke into a huge grin despite himself and ran to her. "You have no idea how lonely I've been!" he exclaimed as she embraced him. "You were the only one on the entire station who didn't treat me like a pet!"  
  
"Yes," she murmured, "And whose fault is it you ended up there?"  
  
Noa gave her a surprised look. "Are you reprimanding me for being angry that someone pushed my father out of a window? I'm sorry, M'Lady, but I happen to know you would have been angry if someone pushed your mother out an airlock. No matter what they do, they're still our progenitors."  
  
The Queliyg sort of sighed, then noticed the creature that had stepped out behind him and was now sniffing the air. She blinked in wonderment. "Why...?"  
  
Noa looked back at the brightly feathered being as well. He was a handsome animal, about two thirds Ryin's size with glimmering green wings and sparkling dark eyes, although they held no special intelligence behind them like her own. His manner of movement made it clear to anyone looking that he had the mind and instinct of an eagle.  
  
Noa chuckled ironically. "They insisted that I bring an escort, so..."  
  
Ryin clucked in laughter. "What do you call him?" The young man grinned at his custodian.  
  
"You know I have to name everything," he said. "I've been calling him Asaka. I think he's even learned it, you know." As if to prove the point, he called Asaka over to him. The creature trotted over happily, catching the small reward of food he was tossed and deftly ripping into it. Glancing over at Ryin, he raised a bright blue crest of feathers just a little. She shook her head at him.  
  
"He seems very intelligent, considering," Ryin noted as Asaka trotted back to Noa, ruffling the wings extending his arms.  
  
Noa brushed a hand over Asaka's "cheek," which made the creature close his eyes appreciativly. "They're all a bit more intellegent than they're given credit, I think."  
  
--  
  
A few days after Téa's "collapse," Seto was once again working on getting his new toy working. This time Mokuba and Serenity were watching him, Mokuba occasionally asking a question and getting a complex answer he seemed to understand, Serenity just staring in awe as the two spoke their own sort of language. A crash suddenly sounded nearby Mako's usual entrance, and the three looked up.  
  
"Ah," Seto said as they saw the little scene that had unfolded. "I see he's still going at his futile attempt to teach those two to behave normally out of captivity."  
  
Serenity looked at him. He thought. "Rex and Weevil weren't normal IN captivity, either, Seto." The two obviously were still plagued by their in-cell phobias and neuroses, seeing as how Rex seemed to have dropped his load in order to stomp at the ground, while Weevil wailed for him to stop.  
  
Mako just covered his eyes in exasperation and let them go at it. When finally they seemed on the verge of drawing blood, however, he reached in and lifted them both off the ground to carry them off.  
  
"What AM I going to do with you?" the onlookers heard him demanding.  
  
The show over, everyone went back to what they had been doing. Seto grinned down at his creation. "Well, Mokuba, I think all we need now is something to scan into it and see if it works!" Mokuba grinned at his big brother.  
  
"You think Max'll let us have one of those cool sketches he does?"  
  
The older boy stared at the younger. "You know, I never even thought of that! Kid, you're a genius!" Seto then ruffled Mokuba's silky black hair. "C'mon, let's go ask him!"  
  
With something like a sigh, Serenity got up to follow them.  
  
They found Max and Cecilia talking with Solomon Moto. Yugi, Bakura, Joey, Kel, Duke and Tristan were sitting watching the discussion, Téa was reading something. Max turned and noticed the device Seto was cradling carefully.  
  
He rose an eyebrow. "What is that supposed to be?" Seto grinned.  
  
"It's SUPPOSED to be a holoprojector, but I don't know how well it'll work yet."  
  
Max, Cecilia and Solomon glanced at each other, then Max laughed. "You want a sketch, don't you?" Their small audience straightened, and Bakura poked Téa to get her attention. Seto nodded.  
  
"Y'read my mind. Please?"  
  
Max cast about for a moment, then grabbed a notebook and tossed it to the teenager. "Find something in there."  
  
Seto knelt so Mokuba could look over his shoulder and began flipping through the sketches. They went through so fast Serenity wondered how they could see any of it-- but suddenly stopped on one page. "Wow," Mokuba said softly, reaching over and flicking a switch on the holoprojector. Seto apparently agreed with him, because he put the page up close to the projector's scanners to program it in.  
  
The two made a few adjustments, then Seto pressed a button to activate the machine. "Here goes nothing," he muttered. Something flickered for a few moments, then a white light flared out of the machine, causing everyone but Seto to jump back in surprise. He just stared up at it in awe.  
  
Serenity stared, almost wishing her synthetic eyes still recorded what she saw, but content to try and commit it to memory. It was a huge, glistening white dragon, body apparently armored, a blue gleam making it seem even whiter. Its neck twisted to stare at the ceiling, cold blue eyes wide and defiant. White wings spread as if it were preparing to launch itself into the heavens.  
  
She glanced over at Seto, who, to her surprise, had the grin of a child on his face.  
  
"Perfect!" he whispered.  
  
--  
  
End Chapter 10. (Circle of yawns) THAT short thing took WAY too long. The beginning of the chapter was written back in the beginning of summer, when little Hikari's allergies are at their peak (we left the little skit in because we thought it was funny) and the end was... well, you know. We have a scanner, now! (happy dance) Seto-Kaiba Red Archery Girl was wonderful enough to put up one of little Hikari's goofy fanarts on her site. Go to the fanart section at  
The pic is kind of hard to look at because it's huge, but it's still funny. ^_^ Try scrolling down first, then back up, then left to right. 


	11. Guess Who?

Disclaimer: Silver's boyfriend told her he wasn't getting us Yugioh for Christmas. So, of course, we still don't own it. (Golden blames Silver's crushes on Yami Bakura and Seto.)  
  
Dedicated to Mr. T, as normal, as well as to Silver's little brother, because he WOULD get us Yugioh for Christmas if he wasn't broke. (As well as a meta-physical being. Gotta love him! ^_~)We put Seto-Kaiba Red Archery Girl's site url in the endnotes in the last chapter, but they didn't show. You can get to it through the link in her profile. This chapter should be a little more structured than the last one, since we have something of a plot for it. This part of the story will delve a bit into who are, in the series, the three Kaiba brothers. Keep in mind that Noa is older than Seto, even though in the VR Noa arc in the series he appears to be a young boy, here he is a young adult. (Who occasionally ACTS like a young boy. 0_o) Also:  
  
BOOYAH!! All the Big 5 have names now! ^_^ Crump, Gansley, Johnson, Nesbitt, and Leichter. (We happen to know Leichter's name is spelled that way. We had the closed captioning on.)  
  
Seto Kaiba Red Archery Girl: Hee, you have the same favorite parts as Golden does! Silver's was the "duel."  
  
Lady of the Thread, we agree that no one can get Weevil and Rex to act normal. ^_~ That's why Seto called poor Mako's efforts "futile." (Golden feels kind of sorry for him.)  
  
HCG: We've seen his name spelled both Noa and Noah, and we've seen people who yell at each other over the way his name's spelled, (though in English they probably spell it Noah) We kind of get the impression, though, that in Japanese it's spelled Noa. (shrugs) We don't think the Japanese really have the silent "h." Plus we just happen to think it looks cooler without it. In the end, either way works. And yeah, Kekatsu is so smooth he scares Yami. ^_~ You know THAT'S something. But who and what Asaka is just might surprise you....  
  
GriffenFire: Don't worry, you'll see what Asaka is. We made it ambigious on purpose. As to Noa and his big words... Does NO ONE read the notes?! Besides, he was one of those eerily intelligent little kids, like Golden was. She keeps forgetting that your average child under ten doesn't normally use words more than three or four syllables long in our other stories, and people kept getting after her for it back in freshman English.  
  
The Mad Tortoise: You've made our day. Thanks.  
  
Tuulikki: ^_^ Yeah, anyone we haven't gotten in will appear eventually. It helps with plot.  
  
Mara: TADA! Continued!  
  
Namonaki Pharaoh:(if you've gotton up to this chapter) We like you already. :)  
  
Chapter 11: Guess Who?  
  
/The whip cut into Seto's arm as he tried to protect his face. He yipped with the pain, feeling tears well up, and grabbed his bare, bleeding forearm.  
  
"Oh, listen to the little dog whimper," Kaiba taunted, kicking Seto to the floor. He landed on his face as Kaiba raised to strike again.  
  
Seto managed to look up, trying to figure out where his knife and handgun had landed, but they were too far away. The whip slashed across his back, cutting open the cloth.  
  
"Look at how weak you are!" Kaiba clucked. "And Mokuba thinks so highly of you, too!"  
  
"Shut. Up!" Seto hissed as the whip struck again.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you! What did you say?" The whip rose.  
  
"SHUT UP!!" Seto screamed, rolling over as the whip whistled toward him... and catching it on one of his spiked cuffs. He jerked at it, but it wouldn't come out of Kaiba's hand.  
  
"Not bad," Kaiba said, sounding astonished. He pulled on the whip, which was tangled in the left wrist guard's studs, yanking Seto up towards him.  
  
He was about to catch Seto in the jaw, but the boy saw it coming and drove his right cuff into Kaiba's chin instead. Kaiba stumbled backward, letting go of the whip, and Seto ripped it free and threw it away, mostly useless.  
  
Kaiba rubbed his chin, wiping away the miniscule beads of blood. "Impressive," he told Seto. "Not many manage to draw blood fighting me." Seto growled animalistically and charged.  
  
Kaiba stepped out of his way. "Both of your parents are dead, aren't they?"  
  
"What do you care?" Seto demanded, voice hoarse from the tears of pain.  
  
Kaiba lifted a chair. "I would sit down a moment, if I were you, my boy." He threw the heavy chair at Seto, who dashed away from it. It crashed to the floor, breaking into pieces.  
  
Seto backed away. "Why are you trying to have a conversation with me?"  
  
Kaiba picked up a piece of chair and advanced, wielding it like a club. "You're certainly a better fighter than I first realized," he said. "And your brother's accounts of how smart you are don't seem to be all hero worship..."  
  
"Why are you even bothering to talk to me?" Seto asked, bewildered. He dodged a swing of the "club." Kaiba grinned as he saw the confusion in the teenager's blue eyes.  
  
"If you're as intelligent as you're supposed to be, reason shouldn't be above you, my boy."  
  
"Reason?" Seto demanded incredulously. "My father was killed by Queliyg, my brother has been tortured by the pet of one, and you want me to listen to reason?"  
  
Kaiba's eyes darkened. "I'm not their pet, Seto. Listen to me. You and I, we could drive them away! Kill them all, if it's revenge you want!"  
  
"You've been kissing up to them ever since they landed! I know, my father told me how you helped them subjugate all of us!" Seto's cheeks were wet with furious tears. "You wouldn't get rid of them, you just want me where you can keep an eye on me, and nobody else'd be better off with you in charge, anyway!!"  
  
"Seto," Kaiba said, tossing the chunk of wood aside, obviously to gain a little trust. "Seto, think of what I'm offering you here. It's more than an alliance, Seto. It's a home. I couldn't take your father's place, but I'm willing-- and offering to take his role."  
  
Seto glared at him. "What kind of father would hurt his sons?"  
  
"Are you refusing?" Seto nodded. "Even on Mokuba's behalf? Maybe he would accept me as a father." There was a little faltering, but then the boy strengthened again.  
  
"You hurt him, too. That's worse than hurting me."  
  
"Oh, how sweet, Seto. But I can hurt him more, too, if I don't get my way," Kaiba threatened softly. The teenager's eyes widened, and suddenly Kaiba saw something to fear in them.  
  
"DON'T YOU DARE THREATEN MY BROTHER!" Seto screamed, slamming into Kaiba and steering him toward the panoramic window.  
  
Glass shattered./  
  
Noa rewound the footage again, unable to tear his eyes away. His father... He remembered the day he'd been put into Ryin's care, the cold look in his father's eyes. His father... What did he know of fatherhood, anyway? Even before the Queliyg came, his father had never been much of a good father...  
  
He shook his head and rubbed his eyes. Now he was thinking like Ryin! Not that it should surprise him, considering who had taken care of him the past nine years. Still, Gozaburo was his FATHER...  
  
But the little boy his father had beat, just to be told things, the teenager who almost died in the name of his brother's safety... Could Noa overlook Kaiba's treatment of them? Or the offer, it had almost seemed like he'd wanted this Seto to take Noa's place.  
  
Jealousy flared up for a moment, then was replaced with pity, as he watched the boy cry in pain. Watching his tears of anger, Noa had to wonder what kind of father Seto's had been. Probably one Seto had been proud to have. And according to Mokuba's interrogation, he'd been lost very long ago... Noa suddenly felt sick reading the words, knowing how the knowledge had been gained... but it could not be taken back, and he already knew it word for word. Activating another screen, he found himself gazing on Serenity Wheeler's face.  
  
She had made this all happen.  
  
Punishment was in order.  
  
---  
  
The girl in question was currently following her older brother through a busy street. Joey had insisted on taking her along for three reasons: Tristan, Duke, and Seto, the last of whom he felt Serenity needed to quit "pestering." (And the first two of whom he felt needed to quit pestering Serenity.)  
  
Not that Serenity minded. She had spent most of her time since her liberation in Sub-Town, and it had been getting a little old. She liked the open air, the crowds, watching the selling and buying (although some merchants were dealing in human or elvin stock, and neither of them liked that much) and being with her brother. She didn't know exactly what it was Joey was planning on doing, but she had a feeling it was entirely to get her outside for a while.  
  
The pair wandered up and down several alleys and streets for a while, both trying to reimagine what it had been like nine years before.  
  
But when Joey realized they were being followed, the peace cut short. He dragged her off the main street and into a doorway.  
  
"You see dat guy there?" he asked her in a hush, pointing out a non- descript streetie.  
  
"Yeah, what about him?"  
  
Joey glared at the streetie, who was watching them. "He's been behind us for the past three blocks. I t'ink somebody's payin' him to tail us."  
  
Serenity looked back at him, rather fearfully now. "What do we do?" she murmured.  
  
Joey gave her a measured once-over. "I don' wanna split up, not with you. Ya don't know your way around too well, and I don't want to think about if he followed you and not me. It makes more sense to try an' lose him, but he's been keeping on us pretty well."  
  
"Maybe you two shouldn't have just gone off like that without telling anyone," Kel's voice came from beside them.  
  
Both teenagers yelped and turned in the direction of the voice, Joey instinctively pulling Serenity away from the elf. Kel laughed.  
  
"Don't DO that!!" Joey reprimanded him in a harsh whisper. "T'ink you can help out here?"  
  
Kel nodded, a grin on his face. "Just you watch." With that, he walked away from them, right up to the streetie, and threw an arm around the startled man's shoulders.  
  
[Did you know your zipper is down?] he asked him in elvish. Of course, the poor man had no idea of what he just said, and tried to pull away, but Kel wouldn't allow him to go. [I said, did you know your zipper was down?] It was true, but Kel suspected that the zipper might not work, anyway.  
  
Joey took Serenity's wrist and pulled her off into the crowd while Kel spoke to the man. Joey couldn't understand a word of it, but from the way Kel was laughing he knew he probably didn't want to hear about it.  
  
Quickly, the two tried to melt into the crowd, to get get back to Sub- Town as soon as possible. They turned into an alley, Joey telling his sister it would be a perfect shortcut.  
  
A Queliyg soldier stood in the path.  
  
---  
  
Yugi wandered the streets of Domino, hoping to run into Joey and Serenity and praying he or Kel found them before someone else did. Max had pointed out, on the notice of their absence, that Serenity could be recognized and that there had probably been security cams taking images during the raid on Kaiba's estate. Suddenly he heard a shriek and the crowd began to melt towards the walls.  
  
_That was Serenity!!_ Yugi realized, standing behind a dumpster.  
  
A few moments passed before he saw them. A huge Queliyg, shaking the earth with each calculated step, trudged silently down the street. Joey was under one arm, his sister under the other.  
  
The blonde was yelling a string of explitives at the alien, who simply looked down at him and said, in a heavy accent: "No speak, human." Serenity was heeding her order, biting down on her own hand with a wide- eyed expression.  
  
Yugi stared in horror and awe at the creature threatening his friends. _Yugi,_ Yami muttered, _I think I should take over here._ With a nod, Yugi aquiesced.  
  
Yami considered the soldier only a moment. What had worked once should work again. "Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress!" he whispered....  
  
With a proud roar, the dragon appeared above, spreading its azure wings. The soldier's head snapped upward to stare at it, her black eyes widening. Yami grinned.  
  
Without skipping a beat, the soldier dropped Joey and whipped out a huge cannonlike weapon of a size equivalent to a bazooka. Joey gaped up at the impressive gun even as he shuffled away.  
  
Everyone but the soldier herself winced at the thundercrack as she fired at the dragon. Serenity yipped.  
  
Puzzled by the dragon being unharmed, the soldier cocked her head to one side. Yami was startled as he realized she wasn't in the least afraid of it. She looked down at Serenity, an odd expression in her eyes. Finally, she simply dropped the girl. Turning, she cocked her gun at Joey.  
  
"JOEY!!!" Serenity shrieked, jumping to her feet and attacking the alien. It was like a mouse charging an ostrich. Reflexively, Yami sent the Winged Guardian of the Fortress into a screaming swoop, terrifying Serenity and recalling the Queliyg's attention. Not bothering with her cannon, which probably took too much time, she fired a volley of burning plasma from a smaller weapon mounted on her other wrist.  
  
"RUN!" Yami yelled, coming from behind the dumpster. Galvanized, Serenity ran into a nearby alley, while Joey, shocked by his appearance, ran toward him instead. "RUN," Yami repeated when his friend reached him, grabbing his arm and dragging him in the direction Serenity was running.  
  
The dragon, meanwhile, had reached the Queliyg and vanished around her in a blue smoke. She sneezed, ruffling her yellow feathers. Looking around to see her quarry vanished, she cursed and pressed a button on her battlesuit's collar.  
  
I she chirped in Queliyg.  
  
the barely-accented human voice replied. I have not.  
  
---  
  
Serenity was still running, her heart pounding in her ears. She didn't have a clue as to what had just happened, but she knew she'd never seen anything like it. And had Yugi been a part of it? Maybe it was part of Seto's holgraphic system.  
  
She was running out of breath now. Maybe just a little farther, and--  
  
A young man stepped into her path. Slamming into his chest, Serenity rebounded to the ground, scraping her elbows.  
  
Panting, she stared up at him. Aqua-green hair hung in his endless blue eyes, which fixed her with a stern, somehow dangerous glare. About nineteen or twenty, he stood tall and proud, reminding her stunningly of Seto. His clothing, however, really struck her. Metal bands secured the silken sleeves to his wrists, the dark purple cloth making up the majority of his dress. A silver belt helped the cloth to better outline his thin, muscular frame. He wore high boots of black leather (an unusual material to possess in these times) and a black collar outlined in gold encircled his neck, seperate from his other clothes.  
  
"Serenity Wheeler," he stated, never taking his eyes off hers, "You're coming with me." With this, he pulled a small device from a pouch on his belt and pressed a switch on it, aiming at her.  
  
Her eyes shut off.  
  
---  
  
When Joey and Yami Yugi didn't find Serenity on the surface, the two headed for Sub-Town. "She probably headed for the nearest underground entrance anyway, Joey," Yugi reassured his friend, but the taller boy didn't look very reassured.  
  
"She doesn't KNOW anything about the streets, Yugi," he said, shaking his head. "I hate to think what she might run into."  
  
Of course, Serenity wasn't in Sub-Town, just as Joey had feared. Never was a girl so worried over. Joey and Yugi had a search party together pretty quickly. Tristan and Duke volunteered almost instantly, and Seto wasn't very far behind them once Mokuba reminded him of what they owed her. (Although he gave his brother VERY strict orders to remain behind.) Mai of course, had been Serenity's friend and cellmate for several years; she insisted on going, and both Téa and Kel would follow wherever Yugi led.  
  
Bakura elected to stay behind, so that, as he whispered to Yugi, "Kekatsu and I can come and bail you out if you need us."  
  
Yami instantly retorted that he shouldn't need any "bailing out," as Bakura said in such an undignified manner, which set both Yugi and Bakura giggling.  
  
---  
  
Serenity didn't know why, but after blinding her and carting her around for what seemed forever, the man simply left her in what sounded like downtown Domino. He never said a word the entire time he'd driven her around, simply held her to him despite her pleas and protests.  
  
She tripped over what sounded like a tin can. Foot twisting, she fell to the ground with a yip, landing on something gravelly. The voices and people around her faded, like they were avoiding her.  
  
"Please," she called, reaching out a hand, "Please, somebody help me!" When no one came, she struggled to her feet, trying to brush the gravel from her arms and feeling blood.  
  
Crying from the pain, Serenity limped painfully to nowhere, blind and helpless in that cold street.  
  
Pain lanced up her leg and through her body as she stepped on her injured foot wrong. With a shriek, Serenity fell--  
  
Into a pair of strong, lean arms. "Serenity?" Seto's more than welcome voice came. (She really would have preferred her brother, but any friendly tone was heaven.) "What's happened to you?"  
  
Sobbing, Serenity clutched to him, falling into his support. "I c- can't SEE--" She felt something warm and heavy being pulled over her shoulders and realized it was his newer trenchcoat.  
  
"It's okay," he told her softly, "I'll get you back to Sub-Town, and Joey, and we'll figure it out, I promise." Scooping her up, Seto began to carry the girl home.  
  
---  
  
Yugi and Kel had decided to search for Serenity together, since both felt an elf as protection was less suspicious than shadow creatures jumping out at people.  
  
They were combing the city square area when a certain Queliyg soldier found them. Yugi turned at a shadow, and gasped at the huge form that created it. It was the warrior who had nearly caught Serenity and Joey before. Kel turned to gape at her as she bent down, scrutinizing them both with spacey black eyes.  
  
"You human," she said in that odd, broken accent. "I know you." Reaching down, she grabbed him around the waist quite suddenly, before Kel had time to react. Even as he started forward, her glare snapped to him and she chattered something long and harsh in Queliyg.  
  
Kel stopped and looked up at Yugi painfully. "She says if I try anything she'll snap your head off," he translated, "and I suspect she means it."  
  
Yugi squirmed in her grip and looked into her face. After a moment, he nodded. "I suspect she does. Leave it be. I'll be fine, I don't want you to get killed."  
  
Screaming inside, Kel watched them go.  
  
---  
  
Seto stalked silently through the alleyways, Serenity clinging to him in his arms.  
  
"What was that?" she suddenly whispered, shivering. Seto stopped and listened.  
  
"It sounds like-- footsteps..."  
  
He turned to look over his shoulder and glimpsed a shadow. A very large shadow.  
  
"Hold on tight," he told her, and broke into a run.  
  
---  
  
In Sub-Town, Max watched silently as Mai, Mysti, Téa and his wife worked on maternity clothes. Mokuba sat beside him, still steamed about having to stay behind.  
  
Kel ran in, Tristan and Duke behind him.  
  
"They've taken him!!" Kel shouted. "Max! Mr. Moto!"  
  
---  
  
Several hours later, Yugi awoke in the dark. As he sat up, a loud clatter rang into the empty silence, which Yugi found to be chains.  
  
"Hello?!" Joey's voice cried out. "What's there?"  
  
"Joey? It's me, Yugi!"  
  
There was a scuffling, and soon his friend was beside him. "Hey. This big old warsuiter picked me up down at the old park. You?"  
  
"The one that almost got you and Serenity before. Domino Square."  
  
Joey sighed. "There was someone else layin' over there. I t'ink it's Seto, but he hasn't woke up yet."  
  
"How can you even tell?"  
  
"His wrist cuffs, how'd'ya think?"  
  
Yugi nodded, even though he knew Joey couldn't see him. "Of course." Joey's suspicions were soon affirmed by a deep groan. "Seto? That you?"  
  
"Huh? Yugi?" There was a sudden panicked gasp. "Serenity!!"  
  
"What?" Joey asked sharply. "What about her?  
  
"I- She was wandering the streets, completly blind-- Don't bother asking how, I don't know-- but when I was trying to get her home--"  
  
"You got picked up?" Joey asked grimly.  
  
Seto grunted softly. "Yeah. My head hurts."  
  
Light flooded the room, causing all three to yelp. "That's just a side-effect of the sedatives we used," a voice came loudly, assaulting their ears.  
  
Yugi managed to blink the fog in front of his eyes away. Stone walls surrounded them in a very believable reconstruction of a medieval dungeon. Seto and Joey were rubbing their eyes still, although Seto seemed to be just as concerned over his temple.  
  
At the door stood a young, aqua-haired man with deep blue eyes and wearing an outfit that seemed to be a translation of Queliyg dress onto a human form. Beside him stood a bright jade feathered bird, half the size of most Queliyg Yugi had ever seen and even more birdlike. Its red tipped wings seemed capable of flight, while Queliyg's wings were nonexistant. Chirruping shrilly, it fixed a keen, single-minded gaze on him.  
  
"Calm, Asaka," the man murmured, running a hand along the creature's cheek. Producing what appeared to be a biscuit from a pouch on his belt, he tossed it into the air. Asaka caught it readily, darting its head forth in a vulturelike motion.  
  
"What the heck is THAT?" Joey demanded, staring at the alien animal.  
  
The man glared at him. "So rude, Joseph Wheeler. I can only excuse it with my knowledge that you have never seen a Queliyg male before." He had a Queliyg accent, which was extremely bizarre, since few humans could speak the language.  
  
Joey stared at him. "That's-- That thing is actually a Queliyg?" The man nodded with a smirk.  
  
"A male, Wheeler. And I am Noa Kaiba."  
  
The three prisoners glanced at one another in surprise. "Noa Kaiba?" Yugi asked carefully. "Where were you when--"  
  
"Your friend over there pushed my father out a window? I've been in space the past nine years."  
  
Seto's eyes widened. "You're Gozaburo Kaiba's son? Why were you in space?"  
  
Noa glared at him. "I owe you no answers. Governor Ryin would speak with you."  
  
"Does he owe her answers?" Yugi asked as he and Joey moved to stand beside Seto.  
  
"Did I say interrogate? Asaka here has been trained to disembowel you if I tell him to."  
  
Seto rolled his eyes and pushed his friends aside gently. "I'll go, then." He walked up to the door, then stopped to look at Noa. "He is not."  
  
Noa nodded. "No, he's not."  
  
---  
  
Ryin listened to the wind whistle through Gozaburo Kaiba's former office. She had developed quite a liking for the sound, but she realized she'd have to get the window repaired soon so that Noa could stop looking at it.  
  
Speaking of whom...  
  
Noa and Asaka led Seto into the room. Ryin watched the brown-haired boy as he looked around, and noted with some amusement that he shuddered almost at the same time Noa did.  
  
"Hello there," she said in Japanese, and Seto's attention snapped to her in surprise. she continued in Queliyg. With a hrmph, Noa turned and left, taking Asaka with him.  
  
Seto stared after him. "Who is he to you?"  
  
Ryin stood, stretching carefully. "Officially, I'm his owner, but neither of us looks at it that way."  
  
The human's eyes widened. "He's a slave?"  
  
"A pet, my mother thinks. She doesn't know. Nine years ago, Gozaburo Kaiba gave him to us as collateral to prove he would have our best interests in mind as governor of Japan."  
  
Seto put a finger in his mouth, as if to keep himself from saying anything. After a few moments, however, he pulled it loose and wiped it on his shirt. "What do you mean your mother doesn't know?"  
  
"She doesn't know I've been educating and mothering him these past nine years."  
  
Seto stared at her. Ryin knew that he could not have ever had any good experiences involving Queliyg. "You must be worried for your friend," she prompted.  
  
The boy started. "Yes! Serenity!"  
  
Ryin chortled cluckingly. "She is fine," she told him, pressing a button on her computer console so that Serenity's hologram leapt into view. Serenity had been cleaned and her ankle wrapped carefully, and the girl now slept peacefully in fine new clothing on a cushy couch. Ryin watched Seto gaze at her in relief. "You like her, do you?"  
  
Seto once again snapped his attention to her. "No! I mean-- yes-- I mean, Not like that!" Ryin leaned back in noisy hilarity. "Come on, I don't even know her, and her brother, he's-- he's one of my best friends!"  
  
The Queliyg's beautiful black eyes smiled knowingly at him. "I have not kept the company of a young human for nine years and not picked up on a few things, Seto." He continued to glower at her, so she decided to change the subject. "I suppose at some point you have thought me a bit... strange for a Queliyg."  
  
"Yes," he said, "I heard about you from Max when you got here. He said the guy who got him to Japan loved you once."  
  
Ryin stiffened, her feathers rising. "Xab're? He told Pegasus about me?"  
  
Seto shrugged, a positively evil grin on his face. "Apparently."  
  
Ryin's blood rushed to her skin and she shook herself, feeling hot. "I never wanted to love him, but I never wanted to leave him, either. You've seen Asaka, Noa's companion. What can honestly fall in love with something that can never love back?" Seto's eyebrows rose.  
  
"I've seen humans do it," he replied. "They fall in love with money, they fall in love with power... Heck, under different circumstances I might have been one of them."  
  
Ryin glanced at him. He was perfectly serious. "Noa loves his father," she said, surprising him. "He hates him, too, for giving him up as collateral, but he can't help but love him. I gave up loving my mother a long time ago, not long after she threatened to kill Xab're. I keep hoping that Noa will stop deceiving himself about his father, but I know it won't happen soon."  
  
Seto stared at her for a long time, then seemed to come to a decision. "I watched my father die," he muttered.  
  
"I'm sorry," Ryin said softly. "Was he good to you?"  
  
"He kept us alive," Seto said. "He kept us free. I-- your soldiers shot him to death. Mokuba was there, too, but I kept him from seeing and I kept him out of sight. He heard it, though. We don't talk about it."  
  
"I imagine not. But please. Never call them my soldiers. They are my mother's soldiers. Technically speaking only one is my soldier..."  
  
Seto interrupted her. "Your _mother's_ soldiers!" He clapped a hand to his forehead, swearing in amazement. "Your mother-- Should I bow, your Highness?"  
  
Ryin glared at him, but then found herself clucking in laughter. "If you have any sense of kindness you will not, my little friend. I'm the third in line. Mother does her best to keep me away from my older sisters. I think she's afraid I'm depraved enough to kill them in order to ascend."  
  
Seto took a breath. "So far you seem to be the sanest Queliyg I've ever heard of."  
  
Ryin shook her head, her heart sinking as she remembered why she had brought him up. "Not sane enough. I've enjoyed speaking with you, Seto, but now-- Now I have someone I'd like to reintroduce you to." She gestured at the far door.  
  
Seto looked, puzzlement on his features. What was this? A figure, large and dark stood in the doorway.  
  
Seto gasped as it came into the light, and Ryin suddenly decided she should have warned him.  
  
Because despite the mechanical arm, the replacement eye, and the suit of armor...  
  
It was Gozaburo Kaiba.  
  
---  
  
End Chapter 11. (shudder) We had a nightmare recently where someone had hacked into our author's account and messed up all our stories, particularly this one. (growls) Anyway, Meddy Chdistmas!! Mr. T thought we should give you all a gift (plus this update's taken WAY too long) so here is gift.  
  
OFF THE DEEPEST END --  
  
Parody Scenes (Warning: Several scenes imply very "adult" behavior. If this bothers you, don't read any scenes with Smith in them. :p)  
  
-----  
  
Scene: After Seto rescues Yugi from the streetie  
  
Yugi: The only thing that was damaged was the string. *makes a face* It was burned to a crisp, I'll have to clean out all that soot...  
  
Seto: You could replace it with a chain.  
  
Yugi: Are you sure that's a good idea? Imagine how hard a melted chain would be to clean out!  
  
Seto:*sweatdrop*  
  
-----  
  
Scene: Try being quieter  
  
Seto: What have I told you about learning to be a little quieter?  
  
Joey:*glares* Darn it, you're always on my case!! Wha' gives you the right to tell me how ta do things, anyway?!?  
  
Seto:*grins evilly* I'm smarter than you!  
  
Yugi: I'll tell Grandpa you were picking on each other!  
  
-----  
  
Scene: Where is...  
  
Seto: Where's Tristan?  
  
Tristan:*dropping silently from the ceiling* BOO!  
  
All others: AAAAAAH!  
  
Joey:*clocks Tristan* DON'T DO THAT!  
  
-----  
  
Scene: Max's strange dreams  
  
Deep Voice: PEGASUS! YOU HAVE A BOOK THAT'S NINE YEARS OVERDUE AT THE LIBRARY!  
  
Max: But that's when the Queliyg blew the library up! I kept it because I can't give it back!  
  
Deep Voice: OH. SORRY, MY MISTAKE.  
  
Max:*sweatdrop*  
  
-----  
  
Scene: Same  
  
Max: ACK!  
  
Cecilia:*waking up**sleepily* More monsters, dear?  
  
-----  
  
Scene: Same  
  
Max: But this one was different.*tells Cecilia about dream* And so I'm not sure-  
  
Cecilia: SNXK!  
  
Max:*sweatdrop* Huh?*realizes she's snoring* She must be pretty tired.  
  
-----  
  
Scene: Uuushioohhhhhh...  
  
Ushio:*nervously* Wha? Who's there?  
  
Y.Yugi: Over here, Ushio...*suddenly adapts door-to-door salesman voice* Would you like to subscribe to twelve monthly issues of Aliens Illustrated?  
  
Ushio:*high-pitched* NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooo......  
  
-----  
  
Scene: RULEBREAKER!  
  
*SS seizes Ushio*  
  
Ushio:*high-pitched* AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!  
  
SS:*smooches Ushio* I'm going to love you and hold you and kiss you and put you in little pink dresses and name you George...  
  
Ushio:*higher pitch still* AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!  
  
-----  
  
Scene: I've found the leader!  
  
Liyeny: I'm guessing I've found the leader of this coup!  
  
Max: No, no, no. Humans don't use coops, birds-such as yourself-do.  
  
Liyeny:*sweatdrop*  
  
Max: How come you can sweat, anyway?  
  
-----  
  
Scene: ALL the jailbirds, Smith!  
  
Max: Get her to safety!*hands elven woman to Smith*  
  
Elf: YES! Take me, Smith! Take me!  
  
Max and Smith:*sweatdrop*  
  
-----  
  
Scene: SEHHHHHHLLebrate good times COME ON!  
  
Smith: She keeps saying the same word over and over, and I can't understand it because it's elvish. What's she trying to tell me, sir?  
  
Max:*listens for a moment**blushes* Are there any children here? I don't want to get in trouble with their parents.  
  
Smith:*shocked* That bad?  
  
Max: Maybe, but you should hear its approximate translation before judging...*whispers something in Smith's ear*  
  
Smith:*blushes intensely*  
  
Elf:*grins and kisses Smith**and not in a just-friends way**speaking elvish* [LET'S GO, HONEY!]  
  
-----  
  
Scene: Curse of Dragon  
  
Y.Yugi: I don't cheat. Curse of Dragon!  
  
*Curse of Dragon slips out of darkness and encircles Enforcer**then begins singing*  
  
COD:*melodiously* I wanna hold ya, I wanna squeeze ya, come on come on bayaybeee!!  
  
Enforcer:*sweatdrop* EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!  
  
Y.Yugi:*is laughing his head off*  
  
-----  
  
Scene: Cecilia's being kidnapped! OH NO!  
  
*Keith enters the bedroom and prepares to wrap her up and carry her off*  
  
Cecilia:*wakes up suddenly* UGH!*throws up on Keith**sits there looking sick for a minute**weakly* What are you doing here?  
  
Keith:*looking down at shirt* Uh, just leaving.*runs away*  
  
Cecilia:*woozily* Ohh-kay...*falls back asleep*  
  
-----  
  
Scene: On the airship  
  
Cecilia:*wakes up and sees Keith's boots* UGH!*throws up on them*  
  
Keith: NOT AGAIN! YUCK!  
  
Cecilia:*woozily* Got what you deserved, traitor.  
  
Keith: Me, a traitor?! What gives you-  
  
Cecilia: SNNXXKKK!  
  
Keith: I thought she was done sleeping!  
  
-----  
  
Scene: Same  
  
Keith:*grinning cockily* You have to look out for Number One in this world, sweetheart. Number One's the only guy that counts.  
  
Cecilia:*shaking her head* That's right Keith. Look out for Number One, and don't step in Number Two.  
  
Keith:*angrily* Are you comparing me to--  
  
Cecilia:*wagging a finger at him* Now, Keith, the rating on this fanfic is too low for you to be doing that!  
  
-----  
  
Scene: At the fine bar La Cuccaracha  
  
Max:*walks in* So that's where the name came from!  
  
Giant Cockroach:*tending bar* What'll it be, pal?  
  
-----  
  
Scene: At Kaiba's estate  
  
*Keith is leading Cecilia towards the door**she is behind him*  
  
Cecilia: Oh... UGH!*throws up on Keith's back*  
  
Keith:*stiffening* I hope that's not what I thought it was...  
  
Cecilia:*woozily* It was... SNNNNXXXXXKK!  
  
Keith:*sweatdrop* Wow, she can sleep standing up!  
  
-----  
  
Scene: same  
  
Cecilia:*looks up at the estate* You CAN'T tell me he isn't compensating for something.  
  
Keith: I wouldn't talk like that if I were--  
  
Cecilia:*interrupting* I can assure you my husband certainly doesn't have any need for compensation...  
  
Keith: o.0 I did NOT need to know that...  
  
Cecilia: ^_^  
  
-----  
  
Scene: same  
  
Kaiba: Oh, so smart.*leans close* And beautiful, too-  
  
Cecilia: UGH!*throws up on Kaiba*  
  
Kaiba:*sweatdrop* And so charming, as well...  
  
Cecilia: SNX!  
  
-----  
  
Scene: In Cecilia's cell  
  
Mai: How do you feel, Cecilia?  
  
Cecilia: I want a pickle RIGHT NOW.  
  
Mai:*terrified* HEY! MY CELLMATE NEEDS SOME PICKLES HERE!  
  
-----  
  
Scene: Serenity complimenting Seto  
  
Serenity: How'd you know about that, anyway?  
  
Seto:*blushing slightly* Sometimes, I guess, I can just kind of feel the right way around a machine... I'm not sure why...  
  
Joey:*turning to look at them* All right, that's enough!!!  
  
Duke:*giggles*  
  
-----  
  
Scene: How'd Ya Do Dat?  
  
Y.Yugi: Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress!  
  
*a shape appears in the sky*  
  
Bakura: Look, it's a bird!  
  
Joey: No, it's a plane!  
  
Max: No, it's SUPerman!  
  
*everyone stares at him*  
  
Max: What? I've always wanted to say that!  
  
-----  
  
Scene: We can RULE the Galaxy together...  
  
Seto: My father was killed by Queliyg, my brother has been tortured by the pet of one, and you want me to listen to reason?  
  
Kaiba: They never told you what really happened to your father...  
  
Seto: They told me enough! They told me YOU killed him!  
  
Kaiba: No, Seto... I am your father!  
  
Seto:.... My father didn't look anything like you!  
  
-----  
  
Scene: DIE! DIE!  
  
*Keith is jumping up and down on his pants*  
  
Keith: DIE! DIE!  
  
Max:*eyes widening* I don't know about the pointy finger of death, but that is definitely unfit for public viewing!!! *tackles Keith*  
  
-----  
  
Scene: Bad wording on my part  
  
Yugi:*glances over at the fish, Mako, and Cecilia attacking Max* What's going on?  
  
Max: Help! They're ganging up on me!!  
  
*evil shark tries to bite him*  
  
----- 


	12. Coming Together

Disclaimer: If we owned Yugioh, we wouldn't have to BUY the manga, would we?  
  
Dedicated to Mr. T, naturally. He looked into the matter and DN's word count already counts it as a novel. 0.0 We need to get started on stuff we CAN make money on!!!  
  
There was an error involving the weird format ff.net uses and the way we were denoting Queliyg speech. Therefore, some dialogue was lost. To note, the unusually large Queliyg soldier is named "Gerda" and speaks quite intelligently in her own language. She just speaks only a few words of Japanese. Kind of like us, in real life.  
  
Seto Kaiba Red Archery Girl: We felt sorry for Serenity too, and so did Ryin, as you'll see.  
  
Ethelflaed: YAY! We inspired somebody!  
  
Tuulikki: Glad you didn't forget. We didn't. Actually, that was WHY Golden had the nightmare.  
  
Namonaki Pharoah: (grin) You're so funny.  
  
Griffenfire: (glomps back) The other reason we have so much trouble updating is Golden's various addictions and the fact that can no longer write and be on the internet at once. (New computer.)  
  
Katana no Youkai Okami: Of course you can borrow the name Kekatsu! It's not like we can sue you! Not that we would.  
  
Chapter 12: Coming Together  
  
Kaiba's frame had always been imposing, but now, with the metal plating and the cold fear that seemed to be creeping into Seto's chest, he was larger than ever.  
  
Gozaburo's human eye widened at the sight of the young man, and the room froze, excepting Ryin, who was looking from one to the other, and the giant soldier who had come in behind Kaiba, who had her arms crossed and seemed to be at an odd ease.  
  
"SETO!!" he roared, starting forward, his cybernetic hand coming around threateningly. Without a sound, Seto jumped out of his chair, ready to grab anything--  
  
Ryin pointed what looked a little like a TV remote at Kaiba, pressing a button. The huge man froze, an expression of pain and horror twisting into his face. After a moment, he thudded to the floor, a shocked gasp rattling from his chest.  
  
Ryin stood over him, glaring down. "My fondness for your son aside, you are on probation, Gozaburo Kaiba." She glanced up at the soldier. "Gerda!" Gerda acknowleged her with a glassy black stare. =Tell Noa he may return.= The soldier nodded and walked across the room to the other door.  
  
Now Ryin returned her attention to the two humans, one who was staring in amazement, the other glaring angrily from his human eye. "Now then, if you would both take a seat?"  
  
---  
  
Serenity groaned, waking up but not opening her eyes. She was half afraid she wouldn't be able to see anything-- until she noticed the light filtering through her eyelids.  
  
She was lying on something soft and cushy, wearing something light and comfortable. Finally too curious to keep them closed, she opened her eyes.  
  
It was the most gorgeous prison she had ever seen. Carmen gauze curtains obscured the bars in the widows and settled a hazy red glow over the room. Queliyg saw colors in both what humans knew as the "visible" range and a little ultraviolet-- and thanks to her implants Serenity could appreciate the bizarre array of colors in the room. Her clothing....  
  
Whatever the material was, it felt silky. They couldn't possibly have been wasting real silk on her, but it was nice. The soft pink cloth flowed over her arms, held to her wrists by golden colored bracelets. (Once again, she couldn't believe that they would waste real gold on a prisoner.) The collar, a thin line of cloth, hung loosely around her neck, and an obi belt gathered the folds around her waist before sweeping down into a flowing skirt. Her feet had been left bare, but her injured ankle was now bandaged carefully.  
  
Scooting to the edge of the daybed, she tested it carefully on the floor. It wasn't comfortable, but it didn't feel like she was doing herself any actual harm, either.  
  
"I hope you appreciate Ryin's hospitality," came a male voice. Serenity started and stared at its source, which was the young aqua-haired man, standing on the other side of the bars of the door. "She was rather annoyed with me when you and the others were brought in. 'Unnecessary roughness,' she said, and told me I'd developed a mean streak from my father."  
  
Serenity stared at him. "You have a Queyliyg accent."  
  
He nodded. "Not surprising. My name is Noa Kaiba--"  
  
"Your father sold you!!" she exclaimed, standing suddenly, surprised at the continued support of her ankle. Noa backed away, surprised himself.  
  
"You happen to be the first person who I haven't had to tell that."  
  
"Mai told me," she murmered. "We were two of the first wave of prisoners, orphans picked up off the street. One of the elven slaves told her." Serenity sat back down and closed her eyes at the memories.  
  
Noa's eyes softened as he watched the tears start to flow. She was little more than a child, after all.  
  
=Noa-sir,= a voice intoned from behind him. Noa turned to stare up at the soldier.  
  
=What is it, Gerda?=  
  
=Ryin-master has requested your return,= she replied, resting an understanding talon on his shoulder. =I must warn you, however, that you should brace yourself.=  
  
Curiously, Noa followed Gerda, leaving a silent Serenity behind.  
  
---  
  
Joey and Yugi had never been a pair to give up, no matter what the situation. Joey was trying to find a way to scale the walls (although Yugi pointed out it was a long way to the vents and they had no way of knowing they could get into them) when Yami pointed out his own solution.  
  
_Are you sure, Yami?_ Yugi asked, glancing over at Joey a little nervously. _It'll be hard to explain to Joey, you know._  
  
_Have we got a choice?_ Yami replied. Yugi tried to come up with some answer other than "no" to that one. He didn't pull it off.  
  
"Hey, Joey?" Joey fell onto the floor at the calling of his name and twisted to look over at his friend. "There's something-- you kind of don't know about me."  
  
Joey got up and dusted his pants, a puzzled look on his face. "Whaddya mean, Yuge?"  
  
Yugi didn't reply, instead giving his body over to Yami, who spread his arms wide, calling on forces within the Puzzle. "STONE SOLDIER!!!" he boomed, and suddenly a gigantic golem materialized withing the room. Joey fell over from the force of the summoning, his eyes wide and mouth open in an O.  
  
---  
  
At first Noa thought that seeing his father alive and for the first time in nine years was what had made the earth shake. When Ryin jumped to her feet and began swearing at the computer console, however, he knew it wasn't that.  
  
=What is it?= he asked, rushing to her side. The cameras in the "dungeon" cell were fritzing terribly. Ryin shook her head.  
  
=I don't know, Noa,= she hissed, putting a protective arm around him. Kaiba, noting this, snorted.  
  
Seto glanced at him. "Seeing the opinion you seem to have of your own son, I'm even gladder I never took your offer."  
  
"It's not him, you child," he snarled in return, "It's her! Look at how she coddles him--" he was interuppted by his own son.  
  
"You know, father, I still understand Japanese quite well," the soft, accented voice intoned. "And I still have the hearing of a cat."  
  
Ryin stayed out of this, but clucked in laughter even as she ordered Gerda to investigate.  
  
---  
  
Serenity was shaken most rudely out of her thoughts, literally. "What the--"  
  
"Schweee!" A large, green bird was standing outside her cell. It didn't look like a Queliyg, but Serenity accepted that she didn't know much about their culture or lives.  
  
"Hello?" she asked. It stared at her, raptorlike, and chirped. "Do you speak English?" No luck. It seemed to have the intelligence of an animal.  
  
The building quaked again, and the creature lowered its head and began attacking the lock on the door. Curious, she walked up to it and realized it wanted to pick the lock. "Try using your claws," she suggested. "You know, claws?"  
  
The creature looked up at her, almost fearfully, she fancied, then brought forth its claws. Serenity gasped. "Oh, you have wings!"  
  
The lock came loose. Serenity pushed open the door, about to thank her new friend, but as soon as she looked up, she realized he'd vanished. Strange... when had she decided it was male?  
  
---  
  
Bakura stood outside the governor's estate, listening to the thunderous noises from within, Téa, Mai, Kel, Mako, Rex and Weevil behind him. Max had contacted his alien friend Xab're and taken Duke and his wife with him to meet Xab're's ship. Bakura turned to look at his companions, an odd smile on his face.  
  
"What do you suppose is going on in there, eh?" he asked playfully. The others looked at each other.  
  
"Do you know something we don't, Bakura?" Téa asked quizzically, her head tilted to one side. Bakura just laughed and turned back around.  
  
_She's cute when she's puzzled, isn't she, Kekatsu?_ Bakura teased.  
  
_Mmm,_ Kekatsu replied. _I think maybe now's the time to tell Mokuba he can come out from behind that building over there._  
  
_Probably,_ Bakura nodded internally, a smirk crossing his features. He turned again. "Mokuba, you can come out now." The others gasped as the boy, shamefaced, came into view.  
  
"How did you know--?" he asked, brushing some hair from his eyes.  
  
"You aren't the only one who can be quiet. I make a point of using all my senses." Including a few that Mokuba didn't even know about. He turned back around. "You shouldn't have come, Mokuba, but I understand."  
  
Mokuba, tears in his eyes, ran over and hugged Bakura around the waist. A pale hand emerged from his black cloak, and Bakura patted Mokuba's raven hair comfortingly.  
  
---  
  
End Chappie 12. Okay, okay, so it's short, but it ain't nothing, right? We have had such trouble being motivated lately that Silver's boyfriend and her little brother had to torture us painfully with feelings of guilt. And we certainly can't leave you hanging.  
  
Otherwise the guiltiness would've killed us. No, we haven't lost interest in the story. We've lost our minds. 


	13. Transition a short title for a short cha...

Disclaimer: If we owned Yugioh, Atem would still be with us. (Short respectful silence)  
  
This chapter is dedicated to all of you, because we now have over fifty reviews.  
  
We now have a study hall first block of school, so there is nothing to do. Thus, homework gets done before coming home, and we have more time for things like this.  
  
Katana no Youkai Okami: (lol) It's not like one has to base a whole PLOT around a name... You CAN, but...  
  
Anonymous(whoever you are.): Thanks. We appreciate that.  
  
Cherazz22784: (bows) You should see Golden's fanart for it. Especially in her newer style.  
  
---  
  
Chapter 13: Transition  
  
---  
  
Xab're lowered "The Rare Hunter" into Domino's spaceport, his eyes narrowed as he scanned the crowd for any familiar figures. He didn't really expect to see them.  
  
Stepping off his ship, flexing his wings to let the crowd know there would be no pushing, the dragonlike alien walked into Domino, heavy thoughts in his mind.  
  
"Hello, Xab're," a smooth, youthful human voice greeted him. He looked down, and Maximillion Pegasus smiled up at him, flanked by Duke and a golden haired woman.  
  
Xab're immediatly took a liking to her. "I assume you are Maximillion's wife?" he asked, realizing as he bowed that she was several months pregnant. Cecilia smiled at him.  
  
"You're just in time," she said.  
  
---  
  
"I can't believe this, I can't believe this, I can't believe this..." Joey muttered, clinging to the stone behemoth's left leg. Yugi was sitting up on its shoulder, apparently directing its actions. The soldier punched through another wall as though it were nothing, dust and debris falling down around them.  
  
"Joey!!" a scream sounded through the chaos. He looked up to see Serenity standing down the hall, eyes wide and mouth agape.  
  
"Stay there, Serenity!" he yelled, jumping from the creature's leg and running to her. Reaching her, Joey snatched his sister up into a vicious hug. "Are you alright?"  
  
Serenity pressed her face into his chest, crying happily. "Yes, Joey, I'm fine! I'm fine!" The stone soldier walked through another wall.  
  
---  
  
Yami glanced back to see Joey and Serenity embracing each other. He smiled. "Now all we have to do is find Seto and get out of here," he muttered. "And I have a sneaking suspicion the way is up. Which means... RED EYES BLACK DRAGON!"  
  
---  
  
Gerda came into the lower halls. Her eyes widened as a monstrous... _thing_ came barreling toward her. It was running almost like a large dog, its dangerous jaws open and gaping to show its razor teeth, its blood red eyes glaring at her with lava intensity. The strange boy with violet eyes was seated between its wings, his hands grasping the ridges of its back. He bellowed something at her in Japanese that she could only assume was either a war cry or a warning.  
  
Gerda jumped out of the way, narrowly avoiding slamming hard into the wall, then felt the updraft ruffle past her as the dragon ran by. She cursed.  
  
=That explains that, I suppose,= she muttered.  
  
---  
  
=Ryin-master! This is Gerda!=  
  
Ryin acknowledged the call by tapping the keyboard. Noa leaned closer. =Report, Gerda. Things are getting tense in here.=  
  
=Down here too, but I suspect the tension is about to transfer to your office, young friend. Some sort of monster just ran past me up the stairwell, and a lot of walls are gone down here. Everyone is in panic, and those prisoners that we had won't remain here for long. I recommend evacuating.= There was a definite dry tone in her voice. Noa glanced up at Ryin, obviously wondering if she would take the veteran's advice.  
  
It was a natural choice. =Alright, Gerda. Get them all out. I'll take care of those up here.= Standing, she turned to fix a black stare onto Kaiba and Seto. "We must leave. This building has taken just about as much punishment as it will."  
  
That was when the door to the stairs exploded.  
  
---  
  
Mokuba flinched at the newest explosion, red debris flying from the window at the top floor with it. "I hope they're okay," he said, turning stormy gray eyes on Bakura. "What do you think is going on?"  
  
One of the doors blew, and a swarm of people, human, elven and Queylig alike, filed out into the night. Several broke loose from the crowd and simply ran free, the others too harried and ruffled to pursue them.  
  
"I'd say," Bakura murmured, motioning the group behind them to get to cover even as he swept Mokuba up and out of sight, "that the old KaibaCorp building has been condemned." He shouted out to Téa and the others, not bothering to see where they were. "Try to find those stragglers! See if any of them are ours! If not, try to help them out by directing them to SubTown."  
  
"Wow, Bakura," Mokuba commented as they watched the shadows of their companions disperse into the night, "You're as good as Max!"  
  
"Only when I need to be," Bakura said, ruffling Mokuba's hair with a smile.  
  
---  
  
Seto gaped at the creature that now almost entirely filled the top floor office. Kaiba was near the wall, staring and panting, while Noa and Ryin had managed to get themselves into the elevator, which didn't seem to be going anywhere.  
  
"A dragon," he gasped, staring up at Yugi with wide, awestruck blue eyes. "This is a real dragon!"  
  
Yugi nodded. "Come on," he said, stretching out his hand. "He's not a Blue Eyes, but he is formidable in his own ways."  
  
Seto didn't entirely understand what that meant, but he grabbed Yugi's hand and climbed up to the dragon's back anyway. Yugi leaned down to mutter closer to the dragon's head. "Alright, Red Eyes, fly us out."  
  
With a terrific roar, the black dragon spread his wings and burst from the ruined building, leaving Ryin, Noa and his father behind.  
  
Ryin and Noa stood in silence even as the building's destuction groaned around them.  
  
=Ryin, that was definitely weird,= Noa finally said. Ryin bobbed her head in agreement.  
  
=There's no other way to say it, Noa. Come on, we have to get ourselves, and your father, out of here.= She walked over and yanked Gozaburo to his feet. "We go by stairs. The elevator wouldn't be safe even if it did work anymore."  
  
With a curse, a highly resentful Kaiba stalking after them, and Noa checking with a swift high call to make certain Asaka would find him if he could hear him, they took their leave of the swiftly decaying building.  
  
---  
  
A roar sounded, and Xab're instinctively snapped his head to the sky, Max, Duke and Cecilia looking up with him. Xab're's eyes widened. "It's... a demon."  
  
Max's eyes narrowed. "Is that what demons look like to you?" His eyes followed the falmiliar shape as it twisted and looped, finally sinking to the earth. "Because I think I saw humans on its back. The battle seems to be over, Xab're."  
  
"How do you know?" Duke asked. "Wait-- never mind."  
  
---  
  
SubTown: one week later  
  
"We're going to miss you," Solomon told Max as he hefted a bag of his and his wife's newer possesions. "You've revitalized a lot of us."  
  
Max smiled. "I think you can thank your grandson and his peers more than me, Solomon. We'll keep in touch."  
  
Solomon nodded. "I know." He followed Max out the door, stopping to stare up at the tall and lanky form of Xab're. "You had better take care of them."  
  
Xab're chuckled. "With Duke along, I doubt we'll run into any trouble with the authorities. Hacking is a useful skill. I kind of wish I'd learned it."  
  
By the entrance to SubTown, more goodbyes were taking place.  
  
"You go easy on your mother," Mai was saying to Cecilia's stomach. "And don't let them name you Quincy Weatherbug or whatever it was."  
  
"Weatherby James-Quincy," Joey said, grinning. "Or Princess Petunia."  
  
Mai stood to gape at him. "How do you remember them all so well?"  
  
Cecilia laughed. She then turned to Serenity. "We're taking one of them off your hands," she muttered, leaning close, "but watch out for the other one."  
  
"Tristan?" Serenity asked, jerking her head at where he was arguing with Duke and Bakura. "No problem. I'll just do the same thing as before: hang around Seto and Mokuba while they're working on things."  
  
Cecilia laughed. "Now, that's not the only reason you're spending time around a nice, handsome young man like Seto, is it?" Serenity blushed and poked at Cecilia's shoulder.  
  
"Cecilia, stop that! You've been teasing me all week!"  
  
"And I'm about to leave. All the more reason to tease you some more, right?" Cecilia walked past her to embrace Max, who buried his face in her hair, and then bent to poke at her swollen belly.  
  
"Hey! You ready?" he asked, still addressing Cecilia's belly. He then looked up to the assorted well-wishers. "Yugi. Don't get stepped on." There was some laughter.  
  
"Seto," he continued, "You keep track of yourself, alright? I have a feeling there'll be some very hard times ahead for you. Mokuba, you take care of your brother." Mokuba nodded, leaning up against Seto.  
  
"Joey. Learn to be quieter. Learn the virtue of big guns. Take care of Serenity. Serenity, heal up. Learn to be streetwise. Bakura. Take care of the rest of them. Tristan, Téa, and all you others..." Max looked out at them, knowing somehow that he would see them all again, before this was all over. "Keep the faith."  
  
With this, Maximillion Pegasus put an arm around around his wife, nodded to Xab're, and walked out of SubTown, on his way home.  
  
"What do you think about the name Marcus Luther?"  
  
---  
  
End Chappie 13. Yes, this and chapter 12 should have definitely been one chapter. But we have a new plot-- or rather, two. Next chapter will concentrate on Yugi + Co, while chapter 15 will focus on our friends in America. ^_^ We'll be alternating for a while. 


	14. eh heh

Disclaimer: We do not own Yugioh. If we owned Yugioh, there might be giant robots. Silver doesn't know why, but Golden and Mr. T do.  
  
Dedicated to Mr. T. We noticed this morning (during the first episode with Exodia Necross) that Gozaburo is actually shorter than Seto. In chapter 7, where Kaiba and Seto are fighting, Kaiba is actually larger than Seto. Our explaination for this is that he's a cyborg anyway, and thus in this universe really is a goliath. Just to stem any future questions.  
  
Griffenfire: Don't worry, we knew it was you.   
  
Silvia Viridian: (proud beaming) Thanks. Glad you enjoy it.  
  
Cherrazz: Gee, is this much praise really that good for us?  
  
Chapter 14: A Really Gross Chapter.  
No, Seriously.  
  
Gozaburo Kaiba stared icily out at the storm from his window in the new Queylig command center in Domino. In the plastiglass, his reflection glared back at him, with one human eye... and one red, cybernetic optic sensor. Lightening flashed, and he snarled with the thunder that rumbled up soon after.  
The door to his quarters opened to reveal the lank figure of his son. "Father?" Noa asked, his wretched accent tainting the word. Kaiba scowled.  
"What do you want?" he demanded, injecting all the venom he could into the question.  
Noa did not flinch. "Just to say that I'm sorry... and I forgive you."  
Kaiba didn't turn to look at him. "What did I do?"  
Noa's eyes widened in surprise, and then he turned his back on his father, hand ready to close the door. "Maybe Ryin was right, Father. You sold me and sent me away for nine years... You never missed or mourned for me. And when I finally return, you treat me like a stranger."  
"You are a stranger," Kaiba replied, listening to the hush of the closing door.  
  
Domino: SubTown  
  
Yugi lay in his bench-turned-bed, staring at the ceiling. Some of the rebels had been giving him a wide berth ever since the destruction of Kaiba's old estate, afraid to cross him, even though he'd assured him that he never called out the monsters unless he needed them.  
Thank Ra for Seto, Joey and them, right Yugi? Yami said sympathetically within his mind.  
"Who is Ra?" Yugi asked out loud, staring up.  
"I don't know, who is Ra?" Joey's voice came. Yugi sat up to see the taller boy peering in at him. "Lots of stuff ta think about, Yugi?"  
Yugi nodded, getting up and walking over to his friend. Joey put his hands on his hips, grinning down at him amiably. "I kinda wish I could do that summoning thing. That dragon you flew Seto out with, wow..." It seemed to take him a moment to come up with the words he wanted. "When I looked at it, I felt... connected, you know? Like there was a little part of me, flying up there with you and that dragon."  
Yugi nodded. "I understand. Is Bakura back yet?"  
Joey shook his head. "Haven't seen him since he trotted off oh-so- cheerfully this morning. Cheerio and all that, wot?"  
Yugi giggled. "Don't make fun of him, Joey."  
Joey cocked his head. "Pardon, Guv'nor." Yugi snorted and punched him lightly in the arm. "Right. Anyway, Seto's been slimming down his holoprojecter, and he's started trying to make more of them. He says that even if the rest of us can't summon, we may as well look like we can."  
Yugi nodded, a grin sneaking across his face. "I get what he's thinking. The Queylig won't be able to tell for sure which ones are real and which ones aren't, so they won't be able to take the chance that it's only an image."  
Joey shrugged. "That's the idea, anyway. We're just lucky Max decided to leave some of his sketchbooks with us."  
  
Bakura stalked through the old sewers and subway systems, his white hair covered in a black hood. Anyone who might have looked at the scattered open places he walked through would have only seen a flicker of a shadow, a wraith in the stormy night.  
But there really was nobody to look. The smarter denizens were probably at home, asleep. The streeties would have gathered in various abandoned buildings for shelter. He should have been alone, but for Kekatsu.  
I sensed something this morning, Kekatsu muttered in the back of his mind. Something intense.  
Bakura nodded internally, gliding silently up the subway exit and out into the thunder and rain. The wind was hard, but it didn't bother him any. "There's some sort of commotion down that alley over there," he muttered.  
The dark shape moved closer, leaning for a better look.  
It was a fight. Several Enforcers had apparently closed around a slight, raven haired woman, but she had her protectors. One, a tall, muscular man with black hair cut into a single ponytail on his otherwise bald head and ornate tatoos across one side of his face, had two of them in headlocks. The other, a teenaged boy with shoulder length blonde hair and determined purple eyes, had an ornate knife out, the handle made with intertwining cobras.  
They have millenium items with them, Kekatsu said thoughtfully, the glowing Ring affirming his statement. And their fighting, clothing and hair are all in very old styles.  
Quite an enigma, Bakura agreed. But I like how they fight.  
Blood spattered into the air, interuppting the rain. So do I, Kekatsu replied with a chuckle. Now that one of the Enforcers lay dead, the others took the hint and ran. The two that the oldest member of the group held were set free, thrown from the alley with great force. Bakura stepped to the side to let them fly by.  
"Who's there?" a clear voice called through the rain. Bakura froze, realizing they'd noticed him somehow. "Come on, unless you want a whooping like those jerks."  
Bakura's eyebrows rose. He stepped into view, and the three relaxed as they saw that he was obviously not an Enforcer. "I'd like to see you fight me," he said, pulling his cloak open so they could see the Millenium Ring against his black shirt. It glimmered challengingly.  
The three stared at him with wide eyes, and finally the youngest stepped forward.  
"I am Marik Ishtar, a guardian of the Pharaoh's Memory. This is my protector and brother, Odion, and my sister, Ishizu. How did you come to own that?"  
Bakura traced his hand along the golden ring, remembering. "My father brought it to me, long, long ago. I am Bakura." He paused. "What do you mean, guardian of the Pharaoh's memory?"  
Marik reached into his cloak, replacing his blade, and drew out a blade of a different sort.  
The Millenium Rod! Kekatsu whispered excitedly in Bakura's mind. Bakura, if you knew what this means!  
"My father charged me to protect this, right before he died," Marik said softly. "I didn't deserve it... I had broken the rules and thus led the aliens right to us. But things... things might have been worse if it weren't for them."  
Bakura tilted his head to the side, puzzled. "Explain."  
Marik came closer to him, as though not wanting his family to hear. "If it weren't for them, I might have been the one that murdered him-- or at least, part of me, from the story I was told," he whispered softly at the taller teenager.  
  
Gozaburo Kaiba sulked silently. There really was no other way to sulk, he mused. Sulking loudly was simply delegated to grumbling and whining. And Kaiba did not whine.  
Moving stealthily down the corridors, he found the weapons storeroom.  
"You can't keep me locked up forever, Ryin," he whispered in malicious glee. "And soon, you'll regret trying to chain me."  
  
"Look, there's Bakura!" Téa suddenly said to Seto, Mokuba, Tristan and Serenity, pointing at the entrance to SubTown. "But-- Who are they?"  
People began to gather to see the exotic newcomers. Whispering comments were made, how pretty the young woman was, how handsome the boy was, how intimidating the man was.  
Yugi watched from farther back. "What do you think our ally has found?" he asked Yami aloud, suspecting Kekatsu was more behind it than Bakura himself. The blonde was scanning the crowd, finally looking up at the people behind them.  
Yugi followed his gaze and their eyes locked, purple on purple. Lightening seemed to crackle between them as the blonde's eyes traveled to stare at Yugi's chest and widened as they came to rest on the Millenium Puzzle.  
Yami seemed to shiver within him. Something very-- strange is hanging about them, Yugi.  
Yugi slid to his feet and began to walk through the crowd, people hurrying to step out of his way as though afraid he would suddenly lose his temper and set something terrible on them.  
"No need to be skittish, folks," he murmured as he nudged gently into the front. The blonde, who had been watching him this entire time, suddenly dropped to his knees and rested his forehead at Yugi's shifting feet. His companions followed suit.  
Several people gasped, whether in surprise or amusement who knew. Yugi stared at them in some astonishment. Yami prodded at him silently.  
"Uh... You may rise?"  
The blonde looked up at him cautiously, then rose. "I am Marik Ishtar, and these are my brother and sister, Odion and Ishizu. We have come at your service."  
Yugi backed away a few steps, looking around himself nervously.  
The silence could have killed.  
  
"Why Yugi, why now?" Seto asked Joey, half casually and half in irritation. The two wandered the streets of downtown Domino almost carelessly, a little away from the main group that was attempting to acclimate the Ishtars as best they could.  
Joey shrugged. "Yuge has always been... different, Seto. Like you, but in his own way."  
Blue eyes scanned the cracked and disrepaired road. It was like the rest of the city; worn, wrecked and uncared for. "How am I different?" came the question. "You stand out, too, if that's the truth."  
"Then it's the truth," Joey replied. "I don't think I'd be fitting into a world without the Queylig either. I'm too rebellious."  
Seto began to laugh... but pulled it back between his teeth when he noticed the crowd. "What do you think's going on over there?"  
Joey squinted. "Looks panicked... Like something bad news." He turned to yell at the rest of the party. "Hey, you guys, come'n look at this!"  
Yugi, Kel, Téa, Tristan and Bakura came, the Ishtars behind them.  
"What is it?" Ishizu asked, her misty voice floating over to them. Joey pointed.  
"Crowd." He glanced over to where Seto was supposed to be only to realize he was already headed to investigate. "Seto, wait up!" he yelled, running after him. The rest of the group followed.  
The "party," so to speak, was apparently just wrapping up... but it was a gruesome sight.  
Gozaburo Kaiba lay twisted in pain on the concrete, a smoking weapon at his side. Enforcers were assessing the damage, checking both on wounded and dead. A severely injured Queylig lay on the curb, her body both burnt and lacerated. Most of the other victims sported similar wounds.  
Joey heard Ishizu and Téa both gasp as the other men in the party grimaced, and turned to Seto. "Come on, buddy, we don't want to be recognized--" He stared.  
Seto was staring at the carnage, his teeth locked as if he was holding back his stomach. He swayed side to side vaguely, trying to keep his knees from buckling.  
Joey looked back at the rest of the group, thinking fast to keep them from noticing this.  
"You guys go ahead and get outta here, Yuge," he said, catching Yugi's attention. "Seto and me, we're-- we're gonna lag behind, see if we can't find out what's going on, you know."  
Yugi stared at him questioningly. "Joey?"  
The blonde gritted his teeth. "Go ON, Yuge," he urged. Seto didn't need anyone more than someone who already had known how his father was killed.  
Yugi blinked, then nodded. "Fine." They were gone.  
Joey grabbed Seto's arm and dragged him stumbling down an alley. "I've only seen you like this once, when I first met you," he said under his breath. "Best not to let you break down in plain sight."  
Seto apparently had the same idea, because he fell to his knees and surrendered to his feelings (and his twisting stomach) as soon as the two reached shadow.  
Joey leaned up against a wall and tried to look casual as his friend retched.  
"I did NOT need that," Seto hissed painfully between clenched teeth, then he coughed, unable to get anything else out of his system. Joey managed to find a clean square of cloth in his black jacket and kneeled, putting it to Seto's face. Seto put his own hand over it and Joey let him wipe at his own mouth, watching the brunette's disgusted movements.  
"I'll say you didn't," Joey replied, trying for a little levity, "You needed that breakfast to stay down."  
Seto coughed again, but this time they were painful little laughs. "Stupid," he groaned.  
Joey smiled slightly. "Sorry."  
"You must think I'm an idiot."  
"No, just traumatized."  
"Help me up." Joey put an arm under Seto's and the two stood, Seto testing himself.  
Joey watched him carefully. "Maybe if you got some water you'd feel better."  
"Maybe if I got some water I'd just puke water," came the sarcastic answer. The two laughed and started home.  
  
End Chapter Fourteen. What the #$ happened here, you ask? We ARE working on a prequel. It tends to follow the mood this chapter followed: Messy. Next chapter finds us all in America! And no worries, less gross stuff. 


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